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 x-axis?(1 point)

Responses

2
2

5
5

3
3

0.5
0.5

1 answer

To determine the best scale for representing the time data on the x-axis for the snowstorm's snowfall rates, we should consider the total duration of the snow events.

  • First 2 hours: Snowed at 1 inch/hour.
  • Stopped for 1.5 hours: No snow.
  • Next 3 hours: Snowed at 1.5 inches/hour.

Total duration of the event is \(2 + 1.5 + 3 = 6.5\) hours.

Given that the total time is 6.5 hours, a scale that provides clear divisions over this duration would be useful. A scale of 0.5 hours would allow you to cover each half-hour interval, which is suitable for tracking the various rates of snowfall over the total time effectively.

Therefore, the best scale for the x-axis would be:

0.5