Question

A scuba diver was at a depth of 15 meters below the surface when she saw something interesting about 10 meters lower. She made the descent in 10.1 seconds. Interpret the quotient to describe the rate of change in the diver’s depth. Give your answer to the nearest hundredth.(1 point)
Responses

The quotient that describes the average rate of change for the diver’s depth is −3.47 meters/second.
The quotient that describes the average rate of change for the diver’s depth is negative 3.47 meters/second.

The quotient that describes the average rate of change for the diver’s depth is 0.99 meters/second.
The quotient that describes the average rate of change for the diver’s depth is 0.99 meters/second.

The quotient that describes the average rate of change for the diver’s depth is −0.49 meters/second.

The quotient that describes the average rate of change for the diver’s depth is −0.99 meters/second.

1 answer

To find the average rate of change in the diver's depth, we first need to determine the change in depth and the time taken.

  1. Initial Depth: The diver was at a depth of 15 meters below the surface, so we can represent this as -15 meters.

  2. Final Depth: The diver descends to a depth that is 10 meters lower than -15 meters, which means she reaches a depth of -15 - 10 = -25 meters.

  3. Change in Depth: This is the final depth minus the initial depth: \[ \text{Change in Depth} = -25 - (-15) = -25 + 15 = -10 \text{ meters} \]

  4. Time Taken: The time taken for this descent is 10.1 seconds.

  5. Average Rate of Change: The average rate of change in depth is calculated by dividing the change in depth by the time taken: \[ \text{Average Rate of Change} = \frac{\text{Change in Depth}}{\text{Time Taken}} = \frac{-10 \text{ meters}}{10.1 \text{ seconds}} \approx -0.99 \text{ meters/second} \]

Thus, the quotient that describes the average rate of change for the diver’s depth is approximately -0.99 meters/second.

The correct interpretation is: The quotient that describes the average rate of change for the diver’s depth is −0.99 meters/second.