Timothy is at an elevation of -17.65 meters below sea level, He descends by 3 4/5 meters to observe a coral. What is his new elevation relative to sea level?

Answer 1

To find Timothy's new elevation relative to sea level, we need to subtract the amount he descends from his original elevation.

Original elevation: -17.65 meters
Descends by: 3 4/5 meters

First, we need to convert the mixed number 3 4/5 to an improper fraction.
3 4/5 = (3 * 5 + 4) / 5 = 19/5

Now, we can subtract 19/5 from -17.65 to find the new elevation:
-17.65 - 19/5

To subtract these numbers, we need to find a common denominator. The denominator of 19/5 is already 5, so no further conversion is necessary.

-17.65 = -17.65 * 5/5 = -88.25/5

Now we can subtract the fractions:
-88.25/5 - 19/5 = - (88.25 + 19) / 5 = - 107.25 / 5

The new elevation relative to sea level is -107.25/5 meters, which can be simplified to -21.45 meters.

Thus, Timothy's new elevation relative to sea level is -21.45 meters.