Use the equation to predict the average global surface temperature in 2100.

Question

Recent studies indicate that the average surface temperature of the earth has been rising steadily. Some scientists have modeled the temperature by the linear function T = 0.02 t + 8.50, where T is temperature in ^oC and t represents years since 1900.

(a) What do the slope and T -intercept represent?
(b) Use the equation to predict the average global surface
temperature in 2100.

Answer 1

Step 1:

(a)

The expression is .

The above expression is in the form of slope-intercept equation .

Where m represents slope and b represents y-intercept.

Compare the expression with slope-intercept form :

Slope is 0.02.

T - intercept is 8.50.

Here slope represents the rate of change of temperature with respect to time is 0.02.

         T - intercept represents that the temperature is in 1900.

Step 2 :

(b)

t represents the years since 1900.

Average global surface temperature in 2100 (After 200 years) means .

Substitute in T:

The temperature for the year 2100 is .

 

Solution: 

(a) Slope represents the rate of change of temperature with respect to time is 0.02.

     T - intercept represents that the temperature is when time is zero.

(b) Average global surface temperature in 2100 is .