Question

The captain of a fishing vessel is standing on the deck at 23 feet above sea level. He holds a rope tied to his fishing net that is below him underwater at a depth of 38 feet.

Draw a diagram using a number line, and then use absolute value to compare the lengths of rope in and out of the water.

Answer 1

The distance of the rope out of the water is 23 feet.

The distance of the rope in the water is 38 feet.

Explanation:

The captain is standing on the deck at 23 feet above so the integer that represents the position of the captain is 23.

The fishing net is at a depth of 38 feet underwater so the integer that represents the position of the fishing net is -38.

The distance of the rope out of the water is given by the absolute value of 23.

|23|=23

The distance of the rope in the water is given by the absolute value of -38.

|-38|=38

The attached picture shows a diagram of the number line.