Question

West of a city, a certain eastbound route is straight and makes a steep descent toward the city. The highway has a 12% grade, which means that its slope is − 12/100. Driving on this road, you notice from elevation signs that you have descended a distance of 1000 ft. What is the change in your horizontal distance in miles? (Round your answer to two decimal places.)

Answer 1

120 ft

Explanation:

A slope of 12/100 means for every 12 units of distance you move horizontally you descend by 100 of the same units vertically. Assuming now that the slope does not change, i.e it remains constant throughout your trip; descending by 1000 ft should mean you have moved horizontally by 120 ft so that the slope is maintained.

x/1000 = 12/100

x = 120 ft