Answer :
Final answer:
A skydiver descends from 5500 feet to 3000 feet at a rate of 12 feet per second, resulting in a freefall time of approximately 208.33 seconds, or 3.5 minutes when rounded to the nearest tenth.
Explanation:
The question involves determining the time it takes for a skydiver to descend from 5500 feet to 3000 feet at a rate of 12 feet per second. First, we need to calculate the total distance that the skydiver will freefall before deploying the parachute:
- Start altitude: 5500 feet
- Parachute deployment altitude: 3000 feet
Distance to freefall = 5500 feet - 3000 feet = 2500 feet
Next, we use the rate of descent to find the time in seconds:
Time (seconds) = Distance / Rate = 2500 feet / 12 feet/second = 208.33 seconds
To convert seconds into minutes, we divide by 60:
Time (minutes) = Time (seconds) / 60 = 208.33 seconds / 60 = 3.4722 minutes
Rounding to the nearest tenth gives us:
Time (minutes) = 3.5 minutes
Therefore, the skydiver will freefall for 3.5 minutes before deploying the parachute.