Question

During a snowstorm, snow fell at a constant rate for a number of hours. Then it stopped snowing for a number of hours. Then it started up again at a different constant rate. Benjamin made a graph showing the inches of snow on the ground over time using the data that he collected. at what rate was the snow falling during the first snowfall

Answer 1

ANSWER

0.2 inches per hour or 1 inch every 5 hours

EXPLANATION

We want to find the rate of snowfall during the first snowfall.

To do that we will find the slope of the first part of the graph.

Slope is given as:

$\text{slope = }\frac{y_2-y_1}{x_2-x_1}$

where (x1, y1) = (0, 2)

(x2, y2) = (10, 4)

Therefore, the slope is:

$\begin{gathered} \text{slope = }\frac{4\text{ - 2}}{10\text{ - 0}}\text{ = }\frac{2}{10} \\ \text{slope = }\frac{1}{5}\text{ or 0.2 inches per hour} \end{gathered}$

Therefore, the rate of snowfall is 1/5 inches per hour. This means 1 inch every 5 hours