Question

A missile was fired from a submarine from

400 feet below sea level. If the missile reached a height of
7600 feet before exploding, what was the change in the altitude of the missile?

Answer 1

The change in the altitude of the missile was 8,000 feet

Explanation:

We establish a system of references where we consider any height that is above sea level positive, and we consider any height below sea level negative.

Then the missile was launching at a height
`h_1 = -400\ ft`

The final height reached by the missile was
`h_2 = 7,600\ ft`

So the change in height was:

`change = h_2-h_1`

`change = 7,600- (-400)`

`change = 7,600 + 400`

`change = 8,000\ ft`

Answer 2

The change of the altitude is 8000 feet

Explanation:

* Lets explain how to solve the problem

- A missile was fired from a submarine

- The submarine is 400 feet below the sea

- The missile reached a height of 7600 feet before exploding

- The surface of the sea is the 0 measure

- Under the surface of the sea the measure is negative

- Over the surface of the sea the measure is positive

∵ The submarine is 400 feet below the sea

∴ The missile is fired from altitude from the surface of the

sea = -400 feet

∵ The missile reached a height of 7600 feet before exploding

∴ The altitude of the missile before exploding from the surface

of the see = 7600 feet

∵ The change of the altitude is the difference between the

altitude of exploding and the altitude of firing

∴ The change of the altitude = 7600 - (-400) = 7600 + 400 = 8000

∴ The change of the altitude is 8000 feet