Is the rate of change always positive in your answer? (1 Viewer)

[stopcrying]

The question asks "What is the rate of change of the volume of the soap" wherein my answer was "-0.2cm^3/s" which kind of implicitly is saying its decreasing. However, the answers dont even mention this and only states the answer as "the volume decreases at a rate of 0.2 cm^3/s". Are both of these fine?

 

[jazz519]

Yep both are fine

 

[1729]

The question asks "What is the rate of change of the volume of the soap" wherein my answer was "-0.2cm^3/s" which kind of implicitly is saying its decreasing. However, the answers dont even mention this and only states the answer as "the volume decreases at a rate of 0.2 cm^3/s". Are both of these fine?

They are the same thing. But if the question says "At what rate is the volume of the soap decreasing?" then -0.2cm^3/s would be wrong as decreasing at -0.2cm^3/s translates to increasing at 0.2cm^3/s