A snowstorm took place during the weekend. Meteorologists tracked the total amount of snowfall for the storm. For the first 2 hours, it snowed at a rate of 1 inch per hour. The snow stopped for an hour and a half, then resumed at a rate of 1.5 inches per hour for the next 3 hours. Based on this information, what scale would work best for representing the data on the y-axis?(1 point)

Question

Responses

5
5

2
2

0.5
0.5

3
3

Answer 1

To determine the best scale for the y-axis when representing the snowfall data, we first need to calculate the total snowfall during the snowstorm.

1. For the first 2 hours at 1 inch per hour:

   • Snowfall = 2 hours * 1 inch/hour = 2 inches

2. For the next 1.5 hours, there was no snowfall:

   • Snowfall = 0 inches

3. For the last 3 hours at 1.5 inches per hour:

   • Snowfall = 3 hours * 1.5 inches/hour = 4.5 inches

Now, we can sum up the total snowfall:

• Total snowfall = 2 inches + 0 inches + 4.5 inches = 6.5 inches

For the y-axis scale, it should be easy to visualize the total snowfall. Considering the options provided (5, 2, 0.5, 3), the best scale for representing the data, given that the maximum total is 6.5 inches, would be:

5: While it's less than 6.5, it can accommodate the increments, but it won't display the total range well. 2: Too small for the data range. 0.5: Very detailed but may not be useful since it has too many divisions for the total snowfall. 3: Also too small given the total.

In this case, there might be an error, as 5 is the largest option and would not be able to cover the entire data effectively. However, based on the provided options, the best choice that can work for visualizing the maximum value effectively without needing to adjust too much would be:

5

It's important to note that the best scale in practice would ideally be more than 6.5 inches (like 7 or 8) for best representation, but given the options, 5 would be the logical choice.