Attend to precision. The equation y − 160 = 40(x − 1) represents the height in feet, y, of a hot-air balloon x minutes after the pilot started her stopwatch.
a. Is the hot-air balloon rising or descending? Justify your answer.
b. At what rate is the hot-air balloon rising or descending? Be sure to use appropriate units.
c. What was the height of the balloon when the pilot started her stopwatch?