Temperature Change: Sum of Daily Changes

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
3 replies · 6K views
PrideofPhilly
Messages
37
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



The following table shows the daily high tem-
peratures for a week in May. Determine the
change in temperature each day.

Sun. 76◦
Mon. 72◦
Tues. 80◦
Wed. 75◦
Thurs. 75◦
Fri. 74◦
Sat. 78◦

Find the net change in temperature (the
sum of all the temperature changes).

Homework Equations



None

The Attempt at a Solution



I know this seems easy, but I'm not getting the right answer:

Sun. to Mon. = -4 degrees
Mon to Tues. = 8 degrees
Tues. to Wed. = -5 degrees
Wed. to Thurs. = 0 degree
Thurs. to Fri. = -1 degree
Fri. to Sat. = 4 degrees
Sat. to Sun. = -2 degrees

Added them up and got: 0 degree

Am I suppose to just add up the absolute value of the temperature changes?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Wouldn't the net change be the temperature on the final day - temperature on the first day, i.e. 2 deg F.

Or if one did a least squares fit to trend the data, and then take the final difference or the sum of the differences to the tread line.

Does the net temperature change = the sum of all the temperature changes?
 
The Saturday to Sunday change shouldn't be included I don't thing.
 
2 degrees is right thank you!