At a distance 5 miles west of town, oil-bearing deposits are found 3044 feet deep. Also, 8 miles west of town, the oil is found 3164 feet down. Assuming the oil-bearing stratum lies on a straight line,
How deep would you expect to drill 10 miles west of town in order to find oil?
A) 3124 feet
B) 3124.35 feet
C) 3244.77 feet
D) 3244 feet

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

We can assume that there is a linear relationship between the distance west of town and the depth of the oil-bearing deposits. To find the equation of the line, we can use the two given points: (5, 3044) and (8, 3164).

First, we can find the slope of the line: 
slope = (3164 - 3044) / (8 - 5) = 40

Then, we can use the point-slope form of a line to find the equation:
y - 3044 = 40(x - 5)
y = 40x - 156

Finally, we can use the equation to find the expected depth at 10 miles west of town:
y = 40(10) - 156 = 344
So, we would expect to drill 10 miles west of town to a depth of 3244 feet. The closest answer choice is D.

At a Distance 5 Miles West of Town, Oil-Bearing Deposits