Question

Which statement is true about the rain gauge and the slope of the rain graph? a. There was 0 inches in the rain gauge before the rain began, and the rain fell at a rate of 1.25 inches per hour. b. There was 2.5 inches in the rain gauge before the rain began, and the rain fell at a rate of 1.25 inches per hour. c. There was 3 inches in the rain gauge before the rain began, and the rain fell at a rate of 0.75 inch per hour. d. There was 1.5 inches in the rain gauge before the rain began, and the rain fell at a rate of 0.75 inch per hour.

Answer 1

The slope of the rain graph informs us about the rate of rainfall accumulation per hour, while the initial reading on the rain gauge provides the starting point on the y-axis. A higher slope indicates a quicker accumulation of rain, and a lower slope indicates a slower rate.

The correct option is a.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is asked to relate the initial reading on a rain gauge and the slope of the rain graph to describe rainfall over time. The initial reading (intercept) is the starting point of the graph on the y-axis, and the slope describes the rate at which rain accumulates in the gauge over time (the change in y-coordinate over the change in x-coordinate).

When answering this type of problem, it's crucial to understand that a higher positive slope indicates a steeper incline, suggesting faster accumulation of rain, while a lower positive slope indicates slower accumulation.

In this context, if we know the slope of the rain graph (which corresponds to the rate of rainfall per hour), we can visualize the graph. For each hour that passes, the amount of rain in the gauge increases according to the slope. Additionally, the initial amount in the gauge represents where the line of the graph starts on the y-axis.

Thus, if the rain gauge starts with a certain amount before the rain began, that would be the y-intercept, and the slope would determine how steeply the line rises, which is the rate of rainfall per hour.

The correct option is a.