A car travels at 30 km/h for 10 minutes and then at 40 km/h for 15 minutes. What is the total distance traveled?

Question

A car travels at 30 km/h for 10 minutes and then at 40 km/h for 15 minutes. What is the total distance traveled?

Answer 1

Recall the distance formula:

 

Distance = rate x time

 

In this problem the car has two different parts of its journey.

First part:

"A car travels at 30 km/h for 10 minutes"

D₁ = 30 km/hr  x  10 min  (we need time to be in hours)

D₁ = 30 km/hr  x 10/60 hr  (now we can multiply)

D₁ = 5 km  (this is the distance of the first part)

 

Second part:

"and then at 40 km/h for 15 minutes."

 

D₂ = 40 km/hr  x  15 min   (we need time to be in hours)

D₂ = 40 km/hr  x  15/60 hr  (now we can multiply)

D₂ = 10 km   (this is the distance of the second part)

 

What is the total distance traveled?

D_total = D₁ + D₂ = 5 km + 10 km = 15 km

 

The total distance traveled is 15 km.

Answer 2

10 minutes x 1 hour/60 minutes x 30 km/hour = 5 km

15 minutes x 1 hour/60 minutes x 40 km/hour = 10 km

Total distance = 15 km