Question

Janice was at the surface of a swimming pool and recorded the following two measurements, in feet, on a number line: −8, which represents the depth of water in the swimming pool +12, which represents the height of the slide at the pool

Part A: What does 0 represent in this situation?
A. The bottom of the swimming pool.
B. The surface of the swimming pool.
C. The midpoint between the pool's depth and the slide's height.
D. The height of the slide.

Answer 1

In this situation, 0 represents the surface of the swimming pool.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this situation, 0 represents The surface of the swimming pool.

Since Janice was at the surface of the swimming pool, the depth of the water is represented by a negative number (-8) and the height of the slide is represented by a positive number (+12). With 0 being the point where Janice is, it represents the surface of the swimming pool, where the depth and the height are balanced.

In Janice's situation with the swimming pool and slide measurements, the 0 on the number line represents the surface of the swimming pool. This is because the two measurements given are -8 feet for the depth of the pool (which is below the surface, hence a negative number) and +12 feet for the height of the slide (which is above the surface, hence a positive number). Therefore, the 0 point is the reference point from which these two measurements are taken, placing it at the surface level between them.

Therefore, the correct answer is B. The surface of the swimming pool.