In a gliding scenario, if an aircraft descends 1 foot for every 12 feet traveled horizontally, how much altitude will it lose over 3 statute miles?

To determine how much altitude an aircraft will lose while gliding, we first need to establish the ratio of descent per horizontal travel. In this case, the aircraft descends 1 foot for every 12 feet traveled horizontally. This creates a clear ratio that can be represented as a slope or gradient of 1:12.

Now, let's convert the horizontal distance from statute miles to feet for clarity. One statute mile is equivalent to 5,280 feet. Therefore, when considering a glide distance of 3 statute miles:

3 miles x 5,280 feet per mile = 15,840 feet

Now, we can apply the descent ratio. Since the descent is 1 foot for every 12 feet of horizontal distance, we can find the total descent for 15,840 feet of travel by determining how many 12-foot segments fit into that distance:

15,840 feet / 12 feet per descent = 1,320

Thus, for every 12 feet of horizontal distance, the aircraft loses 1 foot in altitude. Consequently, by traversing a total of 15,840 feet, it will lose 1,320 feet of altitude.

This aligns with the correct answer, indicating that the aircraft will lose 1