Question

toni is testing her new model airplane. she starts its descent at an elevation of 1,200 feet. it descends at a constant rate of 200 feet per minute. we can extend the graph to see when the plane lands. how many minutes after the start of its descent does the plane land? the plane lands □ minutes after it starts to descend.

Explanation:

Step1: Define variables and equation

Let $t$ = time (minutes), $e$ = elevation (feet). The elevation equation is $e = 1200 - 200t$.

Step2: Set elevation to 0 (landing)

When the plane lands, $e=0$, so:
$$0 = 1200 - 200t$$

Step3: Solve for t

Rearrange to isolate $t$:
$$200t = 1200$$
$$t = \frac{1200}{200}$$

Answer:

6