Question

One of the chair lifts at a ski resort unloads 1,600 skiers per hour at the top of the slope. The ride from the bottom to the top takes 19 minutes. What is the average number of skiers on the chair lift during the ride?

1) 800 skiers
2) 1,200 skiers
3) 1,600 skiers
4) 2,000 skiers

Answer 1

To find the average number of skiers on the chairlift during the 19-minute ride, we calculate the number of skiers transported in that time and take the average. The calculation reveals that approximately 253 skiers would be on the chairlift, which is not reflected in the given options.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the average number of skiers on the chairlift during the 19-minute ride up the slope, we first need to consider the flow rate of skiers which is 1,600 skiers per hour. To determine how many skiers are transported in 19 minutes, we must first convert the minutes to hours by dividing 19 minutes by 60 minutes per hour.

Next, we multiply the flow rate of 1,600 skiers per hour by the fraction that represents 19 minutes in terms of an hour (19/60).

1,600 skiers/hour × (19/60) hour = 506.67 skiers

However, since a chairlift continuously has skiers at various points along the ride, we need to calculate the average. Because the chairlift does not become empty or overly full at any point during the cycle, we can assume a steady state situation, therefore the average number of skiers on the chairlift would be half the maximum number it can hold during the 19-minute timespan.

506.67 skiers ÷ 2 = 253.33 skiers

The closest whole number to this result is 253, so approximately 253 skiers are on the chairlift on average during the ride. Since this number is not one of the given options, none of them are correct.