The problem asks how many inches of snow would be expected after 6.5 hours, given that the snow is falling at a steady rate. The table provides the following dataThe problem asks how many inches of snow would be expected after 6.5 hours, given that the snow is falling at a steady rate. The table provides the following

• After 1 hour: 1 inch of snow
• After 4 hours: 9 inches of snow
• After 5 hours: unknown (but we need to solve for 6.5 hours)

To find the rate of snowfall, we can determine the slope between the two given points in time.

The snowfall rate can be found using: $\text{Rate} = \frac{\Delta \text{snow}}{\Delta \text{time}} = \frac{9 \text{ inches} - 1 \text{ inch}}{4 \text{ hours} - 1 \text{ hour}} = \frac{8 \text{ inches}}{3 \text{ hours}} = \frac{8}{3} \text{ inches per hour}$

Now, using this rate, we can calculate how much snow has accumulated by 6.5 hours:

$\text{Snowfall after } 6.5 \text{ hours} = 1 \text{ inch} + \left(\frac{8}{3} \times (6.5 - 1)\right)$ $= 1 + \left(\frac{8}{3} \times 5.5\right) = 1 + \left(\frac{44}{3}\right) = 1 + 14.67 \approx 15.67 \text{ inches}$

So, after 6.5 hours, approximately 15.67 inches of snow would have fallen.

Would you like a detailed breakdown of this calculation, or do you have any other questions?

Here are 5 related questions:

1. How would you calculate the expected snowfall after 8 hours?
2. How would the calculation change if the rate of snowfall was not constant?
3. Can you use a different method, such as interpolation, to estimate the snowfall after 6.5 hours?
4. What would the snowfall be after 3 hours based on the given data?
5. If the snowfall rate doubled after 4 hours, how would that affect the prediction?

Tip: When dealing with steady rates, always look for the slope or rate of change between known values to predict future outcomes.