Final answer:
The scuba diver's elevation before the dive was -66 ft.
Step-by-step explanation:
Final Elevation: We are given that the diver reached a final elevation of -50 ft after diving.
Elevation Change: We are also given that the diver descended 16 feet during the dive. Since the diver went down, the elevation change is negative and represented as -16 ft.
Initial Elevation: We need to find the diver's elevation before the dive, which is represented by the initial elevation.
Combining the Information: We can relate the three pieces of information with the following equation:
Initial Elevation = Final Elevation + Elevation Change
Substituting the Values: Plugging the given values into the equation, we get:
Initial Elevation = -50 ft + (-16 ft)
Solving the Equation: Adding the values, we get:
Initial Elevation = -66 ft
Therefore, the diver's initial elevation before the dive was -66 ft.