Question

A helicopter is hovering at an altitude oh 1,450 feet above sea level. It descends at a constant rate of 75 feet per minute. what function can be used to determine its height, H, after M , minute?

Answer 1

The first step to determine the function is assigning a variable to represent the height of the hellicopter, the problem suggests us to use H, so this will be the output of the function, while M will be the input. At the start of the movement, when M is 0, the helicopter should be at an altitude of 1450 feet. So we have:

$H(0)=1450$

We know that for every minute that passes the altitude will decrease by 75 feet, so the function must be:

$H(M)=1450-75\cdot M$

Because everytime M increases the altitude decreases by 75.