At 5 P. M., the total snowfall is 2 centimeters. At 9 P. M., the total snowfall is 12 centimeters. What is the mean hourly snowfall? Write your answer in simplest form as a fraction or mixed number.

The mean hourly snowfall is 2.5 centimeters

Step-by-step explanation:

The mean hourly snowfall is the number of centimeters that fell during the period divided by the number of hours.

From 5 P.M. to 9 P.M., there are 4 hours

At 5 P.M., the total snowfall is 2 centimeters.

At 9 P.M., the total snowfall is 12 centimeters.

So in those four hours, the depth of snow increases 12-2 = 10 centimeters

10/4 = 2.5

The mean hourly snowfall is 2.5 centimeters

The mean snowfall in that time period was 5/2 or 2.5 centimeters per hour.

Step-by-step explanation:

In order to find the mean hourly snowfall we need to take the depth of the snow at the end of the time period and subtract it by the depth on the start, we then divide that number by the time elapsed in hours between the two points. So we have:

mean snowfall = (12 - 2)/(9 - 5)

mean snowfall = 10/4

mean snowfall = 5/2 centimeters per hour

mean snowfall = 2.5 centimeters per hour

The mean snowfall in that time period was 5/2 or 2.5 centimeters per hour.