The service elevator in a high-rise building travels between the lowest underground parking level and the seventeenth story of the building. The lowest parking level is 15 meters below street level, and the seventeenth story is 51 meters above street level. If the elevator rises at a rate of 2 meters per second, how long, in seconds, could a person ride the elevator when starting from the lowest level? Assume the elevator makes no extra stop.
To solve this problem, we need to find the total distance the elevator needs to travel, and then divide that distance by the rate at which it travels to find the time.
The total distance traveled by the elevator is the sum of the height of the building and the depth of the underground parking level.
Height of the building: 17 stories * 3 meters/story = 51 meters
Depth of the underground parking level: 15 meters
Total distance traveled by the elevator: 51 meters + 15 meters = 66 meters
Now, we divide the total distance traveled by the elevator by the rate at which it travels to find the time.
Time = Distance / Rate
Time = 66 meters / 2 meters per second = 33 seconds
Therefore, a person could ride the elevator for 33 seconds when starting from the lowest level.