Verified Answer :

The temperature to start out with was 14 degrees because 17-14=3 so if you flip it around it equals -3

Answer:

14 degree Fahrenheit.

Step-by-step explanation:

Let x represent starting temperature.

We have been given that the temperature dropped 17 Fahrenheit in 6 hours.

After 6 hours temperature would be \(x-17\).

We are also told that final temperature was -3 Fahrenheit.

We can represent this information in an equation as:

\(x-17=-3\)

\(x-17+17=-3+17\)

\(x=14\)

Therefore, the starting temperature was 14 degree Fahrenheit.