Question

A diver in the Olympics dives off a platform 15 m above the water’s surface and descends to a depth of 5 m below the surface. How many meters are traveled by the diver during the dive ?

Answer 1

20m

Explanation:

the diver starts on a platform 15m above the water surface, which we will call 0. if he goes from the platform to -5m under the water, then he would have traveled 20m.

Answer 2

Let the water surface be 0.

He starts at 15 and gets to the water surface of 0 so he travels 15 meters.

He then goes 5 meters below the surface.

15 + 5 = 20 total meters.