Question

A certain mountain has an elevation of 19,583 feet. In 1907, the glacier on this peak covered 10 acres.By 2002, this glacier had melted to only 1 acre. (a) Assume this glacier melted at a constant rate each year. Find this yearly rate. (b)Use your answer from part (a)to write a linear equation that gives the acreage A of this glacier t years past 1907.

Answer 1

a constant rate in acres/year, or a constant rate as a %age of the glacier's area?

In the first case, it was reduced by 9 acres in 95 years, or .0947 acres/yr

In the second case, it was reduced to 10% in 95 years, at a rate of 2.4%/yr

I guess you want .0947 acres/yr, since it's asking for a linear equation.

A = 10 - .0947x where x=years since 1907.

Extra credit: At that rate, when will the glacier be gone?

Answer 2

Yes, I want the .0947 so that I could do the linear equation. Since the linear equation is A=10-.947(95)which means A = 1.0035?

Answer 3

I have to round the .0947 to the nearest thousandth so it would be .09?

Answer 4

You rounded to the nearest hundredth.

Answer 5

So then it is .095?

Answer 6

Right. 0.095

Answer 7

Thank you!