Question

Crude oil released from the well washed up on approximately 1,313 miles of coastline around the Gulf of Mexico. The total length of the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico is approximately 3,540 miles. Calculate the percentage of the coastline along the Gulf of Mexico that was directly affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Answer 1

Answer: 37.1%

Explanation:

The crude oil that was released directly affected 1,313 miles of the coastline around the Gulf of Mexico because this was the area it washed up on.

This was out of a total length of approximately 3,540 miles.

Percentage of the coastline along the Gulf of Mexico that was directly affected is:

= 1,313/ 3,540 * 100

= 37.1%