Question

An airplane is flying between two cities. The plane takes off and increases in altitude for the first half of the flight until it reaches a height of 18,000 feet. Then the plane begins to decrease in altitude until it lands.What is the independent quantitiy? *

Answer 1

The independent quantity in the airplane's flight between two cities is time or the segment of the journey. As the plane travels, it increases and then decreases in altitude, which is controlled by the pilot or autopilot based on time and flight path regulations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks to identify the independent quantity in the scenario where an airplane is flying between two cities. In this case, the independent quantity is the time or the portion of the journey (first half or second half) because the altitude of the aircraft changes in response to the amount of time passed or the journey section rather than causing this change.

For example, during the flight path of an airplane, it is the decision of the pilot or the autopilot system that determines when to increase or decrease altitude as the plane progresses along its route over time. Factors such as air traffic control regulations, which dictate that each airplane must maintain certain distances from other planes and specific altitudes for safety, also affect this decision.

It is important to note that altitude changes experienced by a plane are similar to how air density changes at different altitudes, which is depicted as a curve on a graph rather than a straight line, symbolizing that not all relationships are linear.