Question

You are hiking on a trail that leads to the top of a mountain. At 1 P.M. you reach an elevation of 4400 feet. At 4 P.M. you reach an elevation of 5600 feet. What is your mean hourly change in elevation?

Answer 1

400

Explanation:

400

Answer 2

Let
t = time, hours
h = height, feet

At 1 PM, the time and height are respectively
t₁ = 1 hour
h₁ = 4400 feet

At 4 PM, the time and height are respectively
t₂ = 4 hours
h₂ = 5600 feet

By definition, the mean hourly change in elevation is

`(h_(2) - h_(1))/(t_(2) - t_(1)) = (5600-4400)/(4-1) = (1200)/(3) =400`

Answer: 400 feet per hour