A helicopter needs to climb 3,600 feet in 12 minutes. What is the climbing rate in feet per minute?

To determine the climbing rate of the helicopter in feet per minute, you start by dividing the total height the helicopter needs to climb by the total time it will take to climb that height.

The helicopter needs to climb a total of 3,600 feet and it takes 12 minutes to do so. To find the rate, you perform the following calculation:

Climbing rate = Total height climbed / Total time taken

Plugging in the numbers:

Climbing rate = 3,600 feet / 12 minutes = 300 feet per minute.

This means the helicopter climbs at a rate of 300 feet for every minute of its ascent, which indicates a steady increase in altitude over time. Thus, the correct rate of ascent is indeed 300 feet per minute, matching the given answer.