4. A mole can dig 3.6 meters in 36 minutes. a. What is the unit rate? b. Digging at the same speed, how far can the mole dig in 17 minutes?

To solve the problem, let's break it down into parts **a** and **b**. --- ### **a. Finding the Unit Rate** **Unit rate** refers to the amount of something per one unit of another quantity. In this case, we want to determine how many meters the mole digs **per minute**. **Given:** - The mole digs **3.6 meters** in **36 minutes**. **Calculation:** \[ \text{Unit Rate} = \frac{\text{Total Distance}}{\text{Total Time}} = \frac{3.6 \text{ meters}}{36 \text{ minutes}} = 0.1 \text{ meters per minute} \] **Answer:** The unit rate is **0.1 meters per minute**. --- ### **b. Calculating Distance in 17 Minutes** Now that we know the mole digs at a rate of **0.1 meters per minute**, we can find out how far it can dig in **17 minutes**. **Given:** - Unit rate = **0.1 meters per minute** - Time = **17 minutes** **Calculation:** \[ \text{Distance} = \text{Unit Rate} \times \text{Time} = 0.1 \text{ meters/minute} \times 17 \text{ minutes} = 1.7 \text{ meters} \] **Answer:** In 17 minutes, the mole can dig **1.7 meters**. --- ### **Summary** - **a.** The unit rate is **0.1 meters per minute**. - **b.** In 17 minutes, the mole can dig **1.7 meters**.