Question

A deep sea diver attached to a safety cable was lowered into the water to a depth of 26.6 m. During the next hour the safety cable was let out 12.5 m, pulled in 8.6 m, and pulled in 35.2 m. At the end of the hour, what was the depth of the diver?

Answer 1

The diver ends up 4.7 m above the original starting depth after the safety cable is let out and then pulled in by various lengths.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks us to determine the depth of a diver after a series of movements involving a safety cable. At the start, the diver is at a depth of 26.6 m. Over the course of an hour, the safety cable is first let out by 12.5 m, then pulled in by 8.6 m, and finally pulled in by an additional 35.2 m. To find the final depth, we can calculate these changes step-by-step.

1. The cable is let out by 12.5 m, so the diver goes deeper: 26.6 m + 12.5 m = 39.1 m.
2. The cable is then pulled in by 8.6 m, making the diver ascend: 39.1 m - 8.6 m = 30.5 m.
3. Finally, the cable is pulled in by another 35.2 m: 30.5 m - 35.2 m = -4.7 m.

However, a negative depth does not make sense, so we interpret this as the diver being above the starting point by 4.7 m. This means that at the end of the hour, the diver is 4.7 m above the original depth where they started.