Question

A dolphin swims 665,280 feet in 3 hours. Use the formula d = rt, where d represents distance, r represents rate, and t represents time, to answer the following questions. Show your work.

Part A: Rearrange the distance formula, d = rt, to solve for rate. (2 points)

Part B: Find the dolphin's rate in feet per hour. (3 points)

Part C: Find the dolphin's rate in miles per hour. (3 points)

Part D: Which unit, feet, or miles, makes more sense to use in this scenario, and why? (2 points)

Answer 1

part A: since rate is being multiplied by t, you can simply divide both sides of the equation by t to isolate r, thus solving for rate

part B: use the equation from part A - plug in d = 665,280 feet and t = 3 hours and evaluate r

part C: to go from feet to miles, divide by 5280 since there are 5280 feet per mile

part D: think about your answers from part B vs. C. which number is more reasonable to work with? as a hint, think about what units we describe the speed of vehicles with