If your altimeter is set higher than the actual atmospheric pressure, your indicated altitude will be

If your altimeter is set higher than the actual atmospheric pressure, your indicated altitude will be

• A. HIGHER than you actually are
• B. EXACTLY at your true altitude
• C. UNDETERMINED without other data
• D. LOWER than you actually are

Answer: (D)

The device works by converting ambient air pressure into altitude using a reference pressure that you set for sea level. If you dial in a higher sea-level pressure than the actual atmospheric pressure, the altimeter assumes the air is as if sea level pressure is greater. For the same ambient pressure, that means you are at a lower height than the instrument would normally indicate, so the indicated altitude becomes lower than your true altitude. In short: raising the setting makes the instrument read lower altitude, so the indicated altitude is lower than you actually are. If you set it lower than the actual pressure, it would read higher. This is why pilots always set the local pressure before flying to keep altitude readings accurate.

The device works by converting ambient air pressure into altitude using a reference pressure that you set for sea level. If you dial in a higher sea-level pressure than the actual atmospheric pressure, the altimeter assumes the air is as if sea level pressure is greater. For the same ambient pressure, that means you are at a lower height than the instrument would normally indicate, so the indicated altitude becomes lower than your true altitude.

In short: raising the setting makes the instrument read lower altitude, so the indicated altitude is lower than you actually are. If you set it lower than the actual pressure, it would read higher. This is why pilots always set the local pressure before flying to keep altitude readings accurate.