Solve the following word problem. A fish is swimming at −10.8 meters, or 10.8 meters below sea level. Every 2 minutes it descends another 1.5 meters. How long will it take for the fish to reach a depth of −37.8 meters? Show your work and write a sentence to explain what your answer means.

Answer 1

To find the time it will take for the fish to reach a depth of -37.8 meters, we need to set up an equation.

Let's assume the time it takes for the fish to reach a depth of -37.8 meters is t minutes.

In 2 minutes, the fish descends 1.5 meters. So, in t minutes, it will descend (1.5 * t) meters.

Using this information, we can set up the following equation:

-10.8 + (1.5 * t) = -37.8

To isolate t, we can first subtract -10.8 from both sides:

1.5 * t = -37.8 - (-10.8)

1.5 * t = -37.8 + 10.8

1.5 * t = -27

Next, we can divide both sides of the equation by 1.5:

t = -27 / 1.5

t = -18

Therefore, it will take the fish 18 minutes to reach a depth of -37.8 meters.

This means that after swimming for 18 minutes, the fish will descend from -10.8 meters to -37.8 meters.

Answer 2

Solve the following word problem. A fish is swimming at −10.8 meters, or 10.8 meters below sea level. Every 2 minutes it descends another 1.5 meters. How long will it take for the fish to reach a depth of −37.8 meters? Show your work and write a sentence to explain what your answer means.