Final answer:
To write the equation in slope-intercept form for the plane's altitude, we use the formula y = mx + b. Given the rate of descent and initial altitude, the equation is y = -2000x + 32000.
Step-by-step explanation:
To write an equation in slope-intercept form for the plane's altitude, we can use the formula: y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept. In this case, the plane's altitude is represented by y and the minutes of the flight's descent is represented by x.
Given that the plane is descending at a rate of 2000 feet per minute, this rate represents the slope (m) of the equation.
The initial altitude is 32,000 feet, so it will be the y-intercept (b). Therefore, the equation would be y = -2000x + 32000.