It is the rainy season in central Texas. It rained for 7 hours on Monday at a rate of 1 inch per hour. On Tuesday, it rained for 4 hours at a rate of 2 inches per hour, and on Wednesday, it rained for 2 hours at a rate of twice that of the previous day. What is the total combined rainfall, in inches, for these three days? Let's answer step by step:
On Monday, 7 hours of rain at a rate of 1 inch per hour is 7 * 1 = 7 inches of rain. On Tuesday, 4 hours of rain at a rate of 2 inches per hour is 4 * 2 = 8 inches of rain. Twice the rate of Tuesday is 2 * 2 = 4 inches per hour. Wednesday, 2 hours of rain at a rate of 4 inches per hour is 2 * 4 = 8 inches of rain. The combined total of the rainfall for these three days is 7 + 8 + 8 = 23 inches of rain. The answer: 23.