A geologist studying the earth’s crust measured the temperature at 3 km below the surface. He found that the temperature had increased by 60 degrees Celsius compared to the surface. At what rate is the temperature increasing? Show your work.

geometry: triangles

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call the larger triangle abc

then the smaller triangle cde is similar to abc (all angles are equal, aaa).  

ab is the side that is 36, and we wish to find de, the side corresponding to ab

area_cde = area_abc - area_cde --> area_abc / area_cde = 2

let x=length of de

ratio of areas = (ratio of sides)^2

+2+=+%2836%2fx%29%5e2+

+2+=+1296%2fx%5e2+

++x%5e2+=+1296%2f2+=+648+

25.45584

55.44 inches

step-by-step explanation:

part a. assuming a perfectly linear relationship, we can find the slope from the first two data points.

slope = m = (change in rainfall)/(change in years)

= (61.80 -62.33)/(2005 -2004) = -0.53/1 = -0.53

then the point-slope form of the equation of the line can be written as

y = m(x -h) +k . . . . . m = -0.53, (h, k) = (0, 62.33)

y = -0.53x +62.33 . . . x = years after 2004

part b. in 2017, x = 2017 -2004 = 13. then the predicted rainfall is

y = -0.53·13 +62.33 = 55.44 . . inches

the predicted rainfall in 2017 is 55.44 in.