Question

If the water level at the lake continued to change at the same rate for 3 months in a row, explain how you could estimate the total change in water level at the end of the 3 month period.

Answer 1

The fraction is 7/8 is really close to 1, so you could estimate that the water level

changes by approximately -5 inches per month. The total change in the water

level at the end of the 3 month period would be approximately -15 inches.

Answer 2

If the water level at the lake is decreased by the rate r each month, then the total change in water level at the end of the 3 month period is -3r.

Explanation:

It is given that the water level at the lake continued to change at the same rate for 3 months in a row.

Let the water level at the lake is decreased by the rate r each month.

Change in the water level for 1 month period = -r units

Change in the water level for 2 month period = -2r units

Change in the water level for 3 month period = -3r units

So, we conclude that if the water level at the lake is decreased by the rate r each month, then the total change in water level at the end of the 3 month period is -3r.