To determine the change in temperature from 9 AM to 12 PM, we need to look at the temperatures shown on the thermometers.
- At 9 AM (on the left thermometer), the temperature is 10 degrees.
- At 12 PM (on the right thermometer), the temperature is -5 degrees.
To find the change in temperature, we can use the following formula:
\[ \text{Change in temperature} = \text{Final temperature} - \text{Initial temperature} \]
Substituting in our values:
\[ \text{Change in temperature} = -5 - 10 \]
\[ \text{Change in temperature} = -15 \]
This means that the temperature decreased by 15 degrees over the three-hour period from 9 AM to 12 PM.
What this means: A change of -15 degrees indicates a significant drop in temperature during this time frame. The temperature fell from 10 degrees to -5 degrees, suggesting a cooling trend, which could be due to various factors such as changes in weather conditions, the time of day, or environmental influences.