Question

The temperature is 71 °F at 2:00 in the afternoon. If the temperature drops 8 °F every hour after that, what is the temperature at 6:00 in the evening?

Answer = _____ F

Answer 1

The answer is 39 degrees by 6:00 in the evening.

Explanation:

Since it is 2:00 in the afternoon and there is 4 hours, with 8 degrees dropping every hour, 8 times 4 equals 32, so 71 degrees minus 32 degrees is 39 degrees.

Answer 2

Answer: the temperature at 6:00 in the evening is 39°F

Explanation:

If the temperature drops 8 °F every hour after that, then the rate is linear and the rate at which the temperature is decreasing is in arithmetic progression. The formula for determining the nth term of an arithmetic sequence is expressed as

Tn = a + (n - 1)d

Where

a represents the first term of the sequence.

d represents the common difference.

n represents the number of terms in the sequence.

From the information given,

a = 71 °F

d = - 8 °F (since it is decreasing)

n = 5 (2pm to 6pm)

We want to determine the value of the 5th term, T5. Therefore,

T5 = 71 - 8(5 - 1)

T5 = 71 - 32 = 39