Question

the hot air balloon starts descending from an elevation of 2,400 feet. it descends at a constant rate of 400 feet per minute. what is the vertical intercept for this line? the slope is -400. the vertical intercept is \boxed{}.

Explanation:

Step1: Define vertical intercept meaning

The vertical intercept (y-intercept) of a line is the value of the dependent variable (elevation $e$) when the independent variable (time $t$) equals 0.

Step2: Identify initial elevation

When $t=0$ (the balloon starts descending), the elevation is given as 2400 feet. This matches the point on the graph where the line meets the vertical axis.

Answer:

2400