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## anonymous one year ago A drill began digging a well 48 3/5 feet above sea level.When the work was complete,the drill had dug in to the ground to a depth of 12 1/2 feet below sea level.How far did the drill dig in all?

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1. anonymous

so final height - initial height = distance. Think sea level as 0, so -12 1/2 - 48 3/5 = ?

2. anonymous

and then take the absolute value of the answer, because distance can't be negative.

3. anonymous

Wait...wouldn't it be 48 3/5 - -12 1/2?

4. anonymous

same either way.

5. anonymous

I still don't get it

6. anonymous

Why subtract?

7. anonymous

It's the total distance

8. anonymous

$\left(48+\frac{3}{5}\right)-\left(-12-\frac{1}{2}\right)=\frac{174}{5}=34+\frac{4}{5}$

9. anonymous

vicky191, think about it this way. if a plane starts 2m above ground and stops at 4m above ground, Wouldn't you do 4-2 to find the distance? ( you could also do 2-4 and take the absolute value. Either way the answer will be 2m.) Similarly, you could do -12 1/2 - 48 3/5 as well as 48 3/5 - (-12 1/2).

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