Question

If you are 2.25 feet above water and then dive directly down 3.75 into the water, how deep in the water will you be? Explain.

Answer 1

1.5 deep.

you subtract 2.25 of air space from the total depth 3.75

3.75-2.25=1.5

Answer 2

The answer would be 1.5 feet.
To solve it, you take 3.75 feet and subtract 2.25 feet; so basically you just needed to find the difference between the heights.
The reasoning behind this, is you are starting at 2.25 feet, and then going down 3.75 feet. So if 0 represents the very top of the water, then going down 3.75 ft from 2.25 ft. would be -1.5. What this means in terms of depth is that you'll be 1.5 ft below the surface of the water, or put more simply: you will be 1.5 feet deep in the water.