Need help understanding these true/false questions

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around interpreting rainfall data recorded by two students during a storm, represented by the function F(t) for total rainfall and its derivative F'(t) for the rate of rainfall. Participants are examining true/false statements related to the data and the implications of the rates of change.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning the interpretation of the rates of rainfall based on the provided data, particularly focusing on the implications of F'(t) values and their relationship to the total rainfall function F(t). Some are exploring the average rate of change and its connection to instantaneous rates.

Discussion Status

There is an ongoing exploration of the reasoning behind the true/false answers provided for the statements. Some participants are attempting to clarify misunderstandings about the relationship between the average rate of change and instantaneous rates, while others are questioning the accuracy of the measurements and the implications of differing values from the two students' instruments.

Contextual Notes

Participants are discussing the accuracy of measurements and the potential for discrepancies in data collected by different instruments. There is also a focus on the assumptions made regarding the behavior of the rainfall rates over time.

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Two students recorded rain data during a storm using different meteorological instruments. F(t) describes the total rainfall, in inches, t hours after the start of the storm.


Student1: F(0) = 0; F(1) = 0.3; F(2) = 0.5
Student2: F'(0) = 0.6; F'(1) = 0.7; F'(2) = 0.3

1. Assuming all data is correct, during the second hour of the storm, it was raining at a rate of 0.7 inches per hour.

The answer is false, but why isn't it true? Looking at student2's data, we see that F'(1) = 0.7, which essentially means that after the first hour of the storm (which would be during the second hour), rain was falling at 0.7 inches/hour, right?

2. Assuming all data is correct, during the first hour of the storm rainfall slowed down and later sped up.

The answer is true, but I don't really understand why. It seems to me like the rate at which rain is falling actually stays constant or even decreases during the first hour. Any thoughts?

3. Either student1's instrument or student2's instrument must be incorrect, because they give different values for F'(0) and F'(1).

I would think the answer is true, because the rate at which the rain is falling shouldn't be different with different measurements, but the answer is false. Is it because rainfall isn't something that can be measured accurately, so there's bound to be some differentiation between the two?

Thanks guys.
 
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I'll try #2:
IntegrateMe said:
2. Assuming all data is correct, during the first hour of the storm rainfall slowed down and later sped up.

The answer is true, but I don't really understand why. It seems to me like the rate at which rain is falling actually stays constant or even decreases during the first hour. Any thoughts?
During the first hour of the storm is between t = 0 and t = 1. Looking at the average rate of change between these times, we get
\frac{F(1) - F(0)}{1 - 0} = 0.3 \text{ in./hr.}
Since this is less than both F'(0) and F'(1), there must some values of t where F'(t) is less than 0.3 in./hr.; otherwise, the average rate of rainfall between t = 0 and t = 1 wouldn't be 0.3 in./hr.
 
Bump?
 
How can F'(2) be smaller than F'(1)?
 
If the function is increasing and concave down, I suppose.

Increasing at a decreasing rate...
 
IntegrateMe said:
Two students recorded rain data during a storm using different meteorological instruments. F(t) describes the total rainfall, in inches, t hours after the start of the storm.


Student1: F(0) = 0; F(1) = 0.3; F(2) = 0.5
Student2: F'(0) = 0.6; F'(1) = 0.7; F'(2) = 0.3

1. Assuming all data is correct, during the second hour of the storm, it was raining at a rate of 0.7 inches per hour.

The answer is false, but why isn't it true? Looking at student2's data, we see that F'(1) = 0.7, which essentially means that after the first hour of the storm (which would be during the second hour), rain was falling at 0.7 inches/hour, right?

BTW, ignore my previous post; I misread the OP, sorry.

Re #1: No, read carefully: F'(1) is the rate of change of the rain _at t=1_
 

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