At noon the temperature is 30 degree F. For the next several hours the temperature falls by an average of 3 degrees F an hour.
What's the equation for the temperature and the hours after noon?
To determine the equation for the temperature and the hours after noon, we can use a linear equation. A linear equation takes the form y = mx + b, where y represents the temperature, x represents the hours after noon, m represents the rate of change (in this case, the decrease in temperature per hour), and b represents the initial temperature at noon.
In this scenario, the initial temperature at noon is given as 30°F, and the rate of change is an average decrease of 3°F per hour. Therefore, the equation becomes:
temperature = rate of change * hours after noon + initial temperature
Substituting the values from the given information, we can write the equation as:
temperature = -3 * hours after noon + 30
So, the equation for the temperature and the hours after noon is:
temperature = -3 * hours after noon + 30