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A lake near the Arctic Circle is covered by a 2-meter-thick sheet of ice during the cold winter months. When spring arrives, the warm air gradually melts the ice, causing its thickness to decrease at a constant rate. After 3 weeks, the sheet is only 1.25 meters thick. Let S(t) denote the ice sheet's thickness S (measured in meters) as a function of time t (measured in weeks). Write the function's formula.

Answer :

Answer: The required function formula is,

S(t) = 2 - 0.25 t

Step-by-step explanation:

Here, the initial thickness of the ice sheet = 2 meters,

After 3 weeks, the thickness of ice sheet = 1.25 meters

Total changes in the thickness in 3 weeks = 2 - 1.25 = 0.75 meters,

⇒ Total changes in the thickness in 1 weeks = 0.75/3 = 0.25 meters,

Since, the ice is melting with the constant rate.

⇒ The rate of ice decreasing = 0.25 meters per week.

⇒ Total changes in t weeks = 0.25 t meters

The new thickness of ice after t weeks = Initial thickness - Total changes in t weeks.

S(t) = 2 - 0.25 t

Which is the required function's formula.

We want to find an equation to model how the ice melts.

The wanted equation is:

S(t) = (-0.25 m/week)*t + 2m

We know that the ice melts at a constant rate, so we can describe the melting with a linear equation.

We know that at week 0, there is a 2 m thick sheet of ice.

3 weeks after, at week 3, the sheet is 1.25 m thick.

So we have two points, (0 weeks, 2m) and (3 weeks, 1.25m)

Now remember that a linear equation is given by:

S = a*t + b

where a is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

The slope is given by the quotient between the change in the y-value and the change in the x-value, so the slope is:

[tex]a = \frac{1.25 m - 2m}{3week - 0week} = -0.25 m/week[/tex]

Then the equation is something like:

S(t) = (-0.25 m/week)*t + b

To find the value of b we use the first point: (0 weeks, 2m)

Then we have b = 2m

The equation for the melting ice is given by:

S(t) = (-0.25 m/week)*t + 2m

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