Final answer:
To calculate how long the person has been sinking, the elevation in yards was converted to feet, and the distance descended was divided by the rate of descent, resulting in approximately 11 seconds.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how long a person has been sinking while parasailing, we first need to convert the current elevation from yards to feet since the rate of descent is given in feet per second. Next, we subtract the starting elevation (560 feet) from the current elevation in feet to find the distance descended. Finally, divide this distance by the rate of descent to calculate the time.
To convert the current elevation from yards to feet, we use the conversion factor that 1 yard is equal to 3 feet:
Current elevation in feet = 179.7 yards × 3 feet/yard = 539.1 feet
Now, we'll calculate the distance descended and the time:
Distance descended = Starting elevation - Current elevation
= 560 feet - 539.1 feet = 20.9 feet
Time = Distance descended / Rate of descent
= 20.9 feet / 1.9 feet/second
= 11 seconds (approximately)
So, the person has been plummeting for about 11 seconds since they began being reeled in too early.