solve the following word problem. the air temperature at 9 a.m is -5.8 degrees Celsius the air temperature at noon is -1.6 degrees Celsius.What is the change in the temperature during these three hours? write and solve an equation to show your answer then explain what your answer means. write it as a 7th grader

1 answer

To find the change in temperature from 9 a.m. to noon, we will write an equation based on the temperatures at those times.

  1. Identify the temperatures:

    • Temperature at 9 a.m.: \( T_1 = -5.8 \) degrees Celsius
    • Temperature at noon: \( T_2 = -1.6 \) degrees Celsius
  2. Write the equation to find the change in temperature: The change in temperature (\( \Delta T \)) can be found by subtracting the initial temperature (\( T_1 \)) from the final temperature (\( T_2 \)): \[ \Delta T = T_2 - T_1 \]

  3. Plug in the values: \[ \Delta T = -1.6 - (-5.8) \]

  4. Simplify the equation: When you subtract a negative number, it's the same as adding: \[ \Delta T = -1.6 + 5.8 \] Now do the math: \[ -1.6 + 5.8 = 4.2 \]

  5. Conclusion: So, the change in temperature during these three hours is \( 4.2 \) degrees Celsius.

Explanation

This means that the temperature increased by \( 4.2 \) degrees Celsius from 9 a.m. to noon. It went from being quite cold at \( -5.8 \) degrees Celsius to a less cold temperature of \( -1.6 \) degrees Celsius. The positive change shows that the air got warmer over those three hours.