Suppose that during its flight, the elevation \(e\) (in feet) of a certain airplane and its time since takeoff \(t\) are related by a linear equation. Consider the graph of this equation, with time represented on the horizontal axis and elevation on the vertical axis. For each situation, decide if the slope is positive, zero, or negative.
- The plane is cruising at an altitude of 37,000 feet above sea level.
- The plane is descending at a rate of 1,000 feet per minute.
- The plane is ascending at a rate of 2,000 feet per minute.