A bird is flying at an average altitude of 10 meters above the ground. After 3 seconds, it settles on a branch that is 3 meters above the ground. Interpret the quotient to describe the rate of change in the bird's altitude. Give your answer to the nearest hundredth and remember that the bird is descending.
To find the rate of change in the bird's altitude, we need to calculate the change in altitude divided by the time taken.
The change in altitude is the difference between the initial altitude (10 meters) and the final altitude (3 meters), which is 10 - 3 = 7 meters.
The time taken is 3 seconds.
The quotient, which represents the rate of change in the bird's altitude, is 7 meters / 3 seconds = 2.33 meters/second.
Therefore, the rate of change in the bird's altitude is approximately 2.33 meters/second.