Calculus, 10th Edition (Anton)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 0-47064-772-8
ISBN 13: 978-0-47064-772-1

Chapter 0 - Before Calculus - 0.1 Functions - Exercises Set 0.1 - Page 13: 12

Answer

(a) Yes (b) No

Work Step by Step

(a) Temperature does not abruptly change from one value to another, just like a growing child doesn't jump from 3 feet to 4 feet in height. Temperature is a continuous variable, and is assumed to be able to take on ANY possible real value between two points measured in time. (b) In contrast, the number of boxes of cereal on a shelf in a store can be counted (and is actually done so at the year end inventory!), and you don't expect there to be fractional numbers of boxes on the shelf. There may be 3, or 4, but not 3.346 for example.
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