1. Leslie skydived out of an airplane with a parachute. After she opened the parachute, Leslie descended at a constant rate. During the first 34 seconds after she opened the parachute, she descended 714 feet. It took 1 minute and 25 seconds for Leslie to reach the ground after she opened the parachute. How far did Leslie descend to reach the ground after she opened the parachute?
Answer: C
Leslie descended a total of 1,785 feet to reach the ground after she opened the parachute.
Leslie descended at a constant rate after opening her parachute, covering a certain distance in the time before reaching the ground. Given that she descended 714 feet in the first 34 seconds, and it took her a total of 1 minute and 25 seconds (or 85 seconds) to reach the ground, we can determine the total distance she descended.
A) 1,270 feet
This option is incorrect because it underestimates the total distance Leslie descended. The calculation of her descent rate does not support this value given the time and distance parameters provided.
B) 1,515 feet
This option is also incorrect as it does not match the calculated total descent distance. Leslie's actual descent distance, based on the consistent rate, exceeds this figure.
C) 1,785 feet
This is the correct answer. Leslie descended 714 feet in the first 34 seconds. After this time, she had 51 seconds left of her descent. Maintaining the same rate of descent, we calculate the distance fallen during this remaining time, resulting in a total of 1,785 feet.
D) 2,615 feet
This option is incorrect as it overestimates the total descent. The calculations based on the time and initial descent do not support a distance this large, making it an unrealistic choice in this context.
Conclusion
The correct total descent distance for Leslie after opening her parachute is 1,785 feet, as calculated from her descent rate and the total time taken to reach the ground. All other options either underestimate or overestimate the distance based on the given parameters, confirming that they are not viable answers.