Write an equation and solve.

Question

Travis buys a new deep freezer. The manual tells him the temperature will drop 12 degrees every hour after he plugs it in. It is currently 70 degrees in his house. He checks several hours later and the freezer reads -2 degrees. How many hours have passed?

Answer 1

To solve the problem, let's set up an equation based on the information given.

1. Understand the problem: The freezer's temperature starts at 70 degrees and drops 12 degrees every hour. After \( t \) hours, the temperature in the freezer becomes -2 degrees.

2. Formulate the equation: \[ \text{Initial Temperature} - (\text{Rate of Temperature Drop} \times \text{Time}) = \text{Final Temperature} \] Plugging in the values: \[ 70 - 12t = -2 \]

3. Solve the equation for \( t \):

   • First, isolate the term with \( t \): \[ 70 + 2 = 12t \] \[ 72 = 12t \]

   • Now, divide both sides by 12 to solve for \( t \): \[ t = \frac{72}{12} = 6 \]

4. Conclusion: The number of hours that have passed is \( \boxed{6} \).