Final answer:
The total elevation change for the turtle that descends at a rate of -0.5 feet per second, over 4 1/2 minutes is -135 feet. We find this by first converting the minutes into seconds and then multiplying by the rate of elevation change.
Step-by-step explanation:
A student asked how to find the total elevation change for a turtle that descends to the bottom of a river at a rate of -0.5 feet per second, over a time period of 4 1/2 minutes. To solve this problem, we need to convert the minutes into seconds because the elevation change rate is given in seconds. There are 60 seconds in a minute, so 4 1/2 minutes is equal to 4.5 × 60 = 270 seconds.
Next, we calculate the total elevation change by multiplying the time in seconds by the rate of elevation change per second. The expression to solve this problem is:
Total Elevation Change = Elevation Change per Second × Total Time in Seconds
Plugging in the values:
Total Elevation Change = -0.5 feet/second × 270 seconds
Therefore, the total elevation change is:
Total Elevation Change = -135 feet
The total elevation change for the turtle is -135 feet.