A subaquatic probe is descending into an ocean trench. Its rate of descent, v m min−1v\text{ m min}^{-1}v m min−1, is monitored over a 50-minute period. The following velocity readings were extracted from the probe's telemetry system at 10-minute intervals:
| t (min)t \text{ (min)}t (min) | 0 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| v (m min−1)v \text{ (m min}^{-1})v (m min−1) | 15.0 | 42.4 | 58.6 | 55.2 | 39.8 | 12.5 |
An oceanographer, Marcus, claims that in the period 10≤t≤4010 \le t \le 4010≤t≤40, the probe descends approximately 1550 metres.
Determine whether Marcus is correct, showing clearly the calculations you have used based on the trapezium rule with all available data for this interval.
Practise AQA A Level Maths 1.12 I: Numerical methods (A-level only) with exam-style questions for A Level Maths. 107 questions covering 1.12.1 Locating roots by change of sign (A-level only), 1.12.2 Iterative methods and Newton-Raphson (A-level only), 1.12.3 Numerical integration (A-level only), and 1.12.4 Numerical methods in context (A-level only), matched to the AQA A Level Maths (7357) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
