Chapter 8.6, Problem 8PPS

To determine

To find: a slope of a snowboarding beginner hill

Answer to Problem 8PPS

The slope of the snowboarding hill is: $\frac{4}{5}\text{or}0.8$

Explanation of Solution

Given:

Decreases 24 feet vertically for 30-foot horizontal increase

Calculation:

Consider the following diagram:

  

The objective is to find the slope of a snowboarding beginner hill that decreases 24-feet vertically for every 30-foot horizontally.

The slope is defined as the ratio of the rise, or the vertical change, to the run, or the horizontal change. It is represented by:

  $\text{slope}=\frac{\text{rise }\left(\text{or vertical change}\right)}{\text{run }\left(\text{or horizontal change}\right)}$

From the figure, rise = 24 ft and run = 30 ft, therefore:

  $\begin{array}{l}\text{slope}=\frac{\text{rise }}{\text{run }}\\ =\frac{24}{30}\left[\text{simplify}\right]\\ =\frac{4}{5}\text{or}0.8\end{array}$

Conclusion:

Therefore, the slope of the snowboarding hill is: $\frac{4}{5}\text{or}0.8$