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

Answer 1

To find the change in temperature from 9 a.m. to noon, we need to calculate the difference between the temperature at noon and the temperature at 9 a.m.

Let's denote:

• \( T_1 \) as the temperature at 9 a.m. = -5.8°C
• \( T_2 \) as the temperature at noon = -1.6°C

The change in temperature (\( \Delta T \)) can be calculated using the equation:

\[ \Delta T = T_2 - T_1 \]

Now we can substitute in the values:

\[ \Delta T = (-1.6) - (-5.8) \]

When you subtract a negative number, it's equivalent to adding the positive:

\[ \Delta T = -1.6 + 5.8 \]

Now calculate it:

\[ \Delta T = 4.2 \]

Thus, the change in temperature during these three hours is 4.2 degrees Celsius.

Explanation of the Answer:

The positive value of 4.2 degrees Celsius indicates that the temperature increased over the three-hour period from 9 a.m. to noon. Specifically, starting at -5.8°C, the temperature rose to -1.6°C, making it less cold, and the increase of 4.2 degrees shows the actual change in warmth as time went on.