Question

A vertical number line is given.

A vertical number line starting at negative 5.5 with tick marks every one half unit up to positive 1.5. The value negative 3.75 is labeled.

When scuba diving, a student recorded the value plotted in the image. If 0 represents sea level, which of the following is true about the value?

The student is −3.75 ft above sea level, and the absolute value is 3.75 ft.
The student is 3.75 ft above sea level, and the absolute value is 3.75 ft.
The student is −3.75 ft below sea level, and the absolute value is 3.75 ft.
The student is 3.75 ft below sea level, and the absolute value is 3.75 ft.

Answer 1

The correct statement is that the student is -3.75 ft below sea level, and the absolute value is 3.75 ft, as absolute value denotes distance without considering direction.

Step-by-step explanation:

If 0 represents sea level, and a student recorded a value of -3.75 on a vertical number line when scuba diving, the true statement about the value is: The student is -3.75 ft below sea level, and the absolute value is 3.75 ft.

Here's why: negative values on a vertical number line represent depths below sea level when 0 is considered sea level. The absolute value represents the distance without regard to direction, which means it is always a positive number. Therefore, being at -3.75 ft indicates that the student is 3.75 ft below sea level and the absolute value of the depth, which represents the distance from sea level, is 3.75 ft.