Khan/khan-exercises — Issue #8373: Negative number word problems - word problem should require a word answer
Author: KhanBugz
Created: 2011-12-11 21:55:40+00:00
State: open
Labels: firefox, wrong-or-unclear, xp

Reporter: josepholiver.esq@gmail.com

Since this is a word problem the solution should be consistent in requiring a word answer. The answer "-73" meters is not commensurate with the terms of the problem because we were told that Gabriela was 39 meters "below sea level." So when she "dove 34 meters" that should mean she dove 34 more meters below sea level. Therefore the answer as to where the fish was relative to sea level is 73 meters BELOW SEA LEVEL. When I answered "73" meters I was answering the word problem with the implied word solution of a distance whose answer was in the form of "x meters BELOW SEA LEVEL".
So where is the fish "relative to sea level?" Answer: 73 meters below it.

[negative_number_word_problems.html?seed=41&problem=scuba_result](http://sandcastle.khanacademy.org/media/castles/Khan:master/exercises/negative_number_word_problems.html?seed=41&problem=scuba_result&debug)

[Answer timeline](http://sandcastle.khanacademy.org/media/castles/Khan:master/exercises/negative_number_word_problems.html?seed=41&problem=scuba_result&debug&activity=%5B%5B%22incorrect-activity%22%2C%22%5B%5C%2273%5C%22%5D%22%2C34%5D%2C%5B%22hint-activity%22%2C%220%22%2C3%5D%2C%5B%22hint-activity%22%2C%220%22%2C3%5D%2C%5B%22hint-activity%22%2C%220%22%2C5%5D%5D)

[["73"]]

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:8.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/8.0

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