Final answer:
The weather balloon rose a total distance of 192,009 feet, calculated by adding the absolute values of the starting elevation (1818 feet below sea level) and the final elevation (191191 feet above sea level).
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the distance the weather balloon rose, we subtract the starting elevation from the final elevation. The balloon ascended from an elevation of 1818 feet below sea level to an elevation of 191191 feet above sea level.
We calculate the rise by adding the absolute values of both elevations because one is below sea level and the other is above sea level:
Rise = |Starting elevation| + |Final elevation|
= |(-1818 feet)| + |191191 feet|
= 1818 feet + 191191 feet
= 192,009 feet
Therefore, the weather balloon rose a total distance of 192,009 feet.