SOLUTION: Please help. Technology. Driving down a mountain, Tom finds that he has descended 1800 ft in elevation by the time he is 3.25 mi horizontally away from the top of the mountain

Algebra ->  Coordinate Systems and Linear Equations  -> Linear Equations and Systems Word Problems -> SOLUTION: Please help. Technology. Driving down a mountain, Tom finds that he has descended 1800 ft in elevation by the time he is 3.25 mi horizontally away from the top of the mountain      Log On


   

Question 111573: Please help.
Technology. Driving down a mountain, Tom finds that he has descended 1800 ft
in elevation by the time he is 3.25 mi horizontally away from the top of the
mountain. Find the slope of his descent to the nearest hundredth.
Thanks
JMS
Answer by checkley71(8403) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
USING THE GRAPHING TECHNIQUE.
SET THE STARTING POINT @ (0,0)
SET THE Y POINT @ -1,800 & THE X POINT @ 5,280*3.25=17,160.
THUS WE HAVE (0,0) & (17,160,-1800).
THE SLOPE IS (Y2-Y1)/X2-X1)
(-1800-0)/(17,160-0)
-1800/17,160=.1 IS THE SLOPE OF THIS DESCENT.