### Instruction: The temperature in a desert rose $1.5$ degrees in $15$ minutes.  If this rate of increase remains constant, how many degrees will the temperature rise in the next $2$ hours?### Response: I want to find the relationship between the temperature change and the time elapsed.
I can use a proportion to compare the given situation and the unknown situation.
Let $x$ be the temperature change in $2$ hours.
Then I have $\frac{1.5}{15} = \frac{x}{120}$, where I converted $2$ hours to $120$ minutes.
To solve for $x$, I can cross-multiply and get $15x = 180$.
Dividing both sides by $15$, I get $x = 12$.
So the temperature will rise $12$ degrees in the next $2$ hours.