Final answer:
To represent the situation in an equation, the starting altitude can be represented as x. The equation would be x + 296 = 385.
Step-by-step explanation:
To represent the situation in an equation, let's assign the starting altitude as x. We know that the group gained 296 feet in altitude, so we can represent that as +296. Their current altitude is 385 feet, so we can represent that as 385. Therefore, the equation is:
x + 296 = 385