What is the Instantaneous Rate of Change at Noon?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around estimating the instantaneous rate of change of temperature at noon based on hourly temperature readings recorded in Whitefish, Montana. The data is presented in a tabular format, showing temperature in degrees Celsius over a 12-hour period starting from midnight.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss various methods to estimate the instantaneous rate of change, including plotting the data and drawing a tangent line to find the slope. Some express uncertainty about the effectiveness of these methods given the data set.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different approaches to estimate the instantaneous rate of change. Some have suggested using average rates of change between specific time points, while others emphasize the challenges of deriving a function from the data. There is no explicit consensus on the best method yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the data may not easily map to a function, which complicates the estimation of the instantaneous rate of change. There is also mention of the limitations of using endpoint data for such estimates.

Brunll
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Homework Statement


Temperature readings T (in degrees celsius) were recorded every hour starting at midnight on a day in april in Whitefish, Montana.The time x is measured in hours from midnight.The data are giving in the table at the left

x(h) T(°C)

0 6.5
1 6.1
2 5.6
3 4.9
4 4.2
5 4.0
6 4.0
7 4.8
8 6.1
9 8.3
10 10.0
11 12.1
12 14.3






Homework Equations



Estimate the instantaneous rate of change at noon.

The Attempt at a Solution


I tried to understand the solution but still don't get it.so could somebody help me?








The Attempt at a Solution

 
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With just that set of data, noon is an endpoint if you plot it. I mean you could find the average temperature change between 11 AM and noon but that would not be a great estimate. I'm not sure what kind of solution you're looking for here. The best way to estimate the instantaneous rate of change is to plot the graph, use a ruler to draw a tangent line, and try figuring out the slope, but with the data set you've given, this won't work out too well.
 
The best way to estimate the instantaneous rate of change is to plot the graph, use a ruler to draw a tangent line, and try figuring out the slope, but with the data set you've given, this won't work out too well.

Thanks!I'll try it.
 
Brunll, you could use the set of points and graph to develop a function, F(x) = something, and perform differentiation on it, and find the value of the derivative at the point where x=12
 
symbolipoint said:
Brunll, you could use the set of points and graph to develop a function, F(x) = something, and perform differentiation on it, and find the value of the derivative at the point where x=12

That data do not easily map to a function.

I would go with the slope of the tangent.

k
 
snipez90 said:
... you could find the average temperature change between 11 AM and noon but that would not be a great estimate.

... The best way to estimate the instantaneous rate of change is to plot the graph, use a ruler to draw a tangent line, and try figuring out the slope, but with the data set you've given, this won't work out too well.

I think the 1st method mentioned here is more accurate than the 2nd method.
 
first convert the data to change in temperature per hour.

next to that make a chart of change in change in temperature per hour.
 

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