Why It Matters: Integers
Why learn how to solve math problems that involve integers?
Brad is an oceanographer, and he's studying the composition of undersea lava flows off the coast of Hawaii. As part of his work, he's on a scuba diving mission to collect samples of lava rock at various depths. He and his team dive down and then follow the lava flow from the point of eruption along hills and valleys that have formed over time, collecting samples along the way. Today, Brad and his team start their dive by going [latex]110[/latex] feet below sea level. After collecting a few samples, they gradually come back up to sea level. Along the way, they notice a lava formation at [latex]23[/latex] feet below sea level, so they do another dive to collect samples from it.
The team is happy with the undersea samples they've collected so far, but they also want to compare their composition to the exposed lava flow on the island. Time to take a hike! They climb [latex]518[/latex] feet above sea level, collect some more samples, and then head up to the peak of the volcano at [latex]10,679[/latex] feet above sea level. They collect more samples at the top before heading down the mountain. By the time they reach sea level, everyone is ready to cool off with a swim in the tropical waters.
At the end of the day, Brad and his team take their samples back to the lab, and they start thinking about the amazing journey they took by following the lava. What's the total elevation change they’ve been through?
They also notice that the lava samples from [latex]23[/latex] feet below sea level and [latex]518[/latex] feet above sea level are very similar. What's their vertical distance from each other?
To find the answers to these questions, you'll need to know how integers work. Read on to find out what you can do with a good understanding of integers.Licenses & Attributions
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- Scuba diver. License: CC0: No Rights Reserved.
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- Prealgebra. Provided by: OpenStax License: CC BY: Attribution. License terms: Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected].
