While scuba diving, Rajeev dove to a depth of 12.6 feet below the surface of the water and then descended another 8.7 feet. What expression can be used to find Rajeev's new position?

A. [tex]$12.6 - 8.7$[/tex]
B. [tex]$-12.6 - 8.7$[/tex]
C. [tex]$-12.6 - (-8.7)$[/tex]
D. [tex]$12.6 - (-8.7)$[/tex]



Answer :

To find Rajeev's new position after descending further, let's carefully examine each part of the problem step by step.

1. Initial Depth of Rajeev:
Rajeev starts at a depth of 12.6 feet below the surface of the water. Depths below the surface are considered negative relative to the surface, which means the initial position is:
[tex]\[ -12.6 \text{ feet} \][/tex]

2. Additional Descent:
Rajeev then descends another 8.7 feet. Similarly, descending further below the surface is also considered a negative change in depth:
[tex]\[ -8.7 \text{ feet} \][/tex]

3. Calculating New Position:
To find the new position, you need to add the additional descent to the initial depth, because Rajeev is moving further down:
[tex]\[ -12.6 + (-8.7) \][/tex]
This can be simplified to:
[tex]\[ -12.6 - 8.7 \][/tex]

Therefore, the correct expression to find Rajeev's new position is:
[tex]\[ -12.6 - 8.7 \][/tex]

Hence, the correct option from the given answers is:
[tex]\[ \boxed{-12.6 - 8.7} \][/tex]