What is your average speed?

Question

You run for 100 seconds at a speed of 5.0 m/s and then you walk for 100 seconds at a speed of 1.0 m/s. What is your average speed?

Answer 1

Average speed is just the total distance traveled divided by the total time.

 

You already have the total time.  It's 100 + 100 = 200 seconds.

 

Calculate the two distances, add them together, then divide by 200:

 

D1 = 100 * 5 = 500 m

D2 = 100 * 1 = 100 m

 

Total Distance D = 600

 

Average speed = 600/200 = 3 m/s

Answer 2

In the first 100 sec you cover 500 m.  In the second 100 sec you cover 100 m.

Therefore, you cover 600 m in 200 sec for an average speed of (600/200) m/s or      3 m/s