Final answer:
The time it takes for the leaf to fall is 9.6 seconds for the leaf to reach the ground from a height of 24 feet.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks how to find the time it takes for a leaf to fall from a height of 24 feet to the ground, if it falls at a rate of 5 feet every 2 seconds. This can be represented by a linear equation.
To determine the time, we set up the equation based on the known rate of descent and the total distance to fall:
- Rate of fall: 5 feet / 2 seconds
- Total distance to fall: 24 feet
We want to find the total time (t), so the equation would be:
5 feet/2 seconds = 24 feet/t seconds
By cross-multiplying, we create the equation 5t = 2 * 24, which can be simplified to 5t = 48.
The final step is to solve for t:
t = 48 / 5
t = 9.6 seconds
Thus, it will take 9.6 seconds for the leaf to reach the ground.