The lenght of your ruler is 6inches or approximately 15cm.
Peter's account is 910-40x, and Marla's account is 470-2x. This is a system, so you must find the number that makes both equations end up with the same number. Basically trial and error. Here is what I did:
Let's try the number 10. 910-400=510 and 470-20=450. I need a higher number.
Let's try 13 next. 910-520=390 and 470-26=444. Now the number has to be lower.
Let's try 12. 910-480=430 and 470-24=446. Close, and a little lower.
11.5 is too low, and 11.7 is too high. 11.6 has Equation 1 at 446 and Equation 2 at 446.8. Very close!
It is somewhere around 11.6. I hope that this can give you a start in figuring it out, because I don't believe in giving the complete answer, because then you do not learn anything from it.
That is negative since the elevator is decreasing. If the elevator was going up, it would be positive.
Answer: 16 + 200 = 216
Step-by-step explanation: