Calculating Average Speed in a Two-Mile Trip

In summary, the conversation is about a person asking for help in solving a problem regarding average speed. They had thought the answer was 90mph, but their friend corrected them. The person is still struggling to find the correct answer and is asking for assistance. The conversation ends with someone providing a helpful explanation about how to calculate average speed.
  • #1
StupidHead
19
0
:bugeye:
I thought the answer was 90mph, but my friend says it's wrong. I just can't figure out any other answer. :cry:

could someone please help me? :shy:
----
You drive to the store which is a 2 mile trip. In the first mile you average 30 mph, how fast must you drive the second mile in order to average 60mph for the entire 2 mile trip?
----

thnx
Jennifer :blushing:
 
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  • #2
I would have thought it would have been an average 90mph in the 2nd mile as well :confused:
 
  • #3
Nobody? :frown:
 
  • #4
If your average speed for the trip were 60 mph, it would take you 2 minutes to complete the entire trip. Thus you have to drive fast enough on the second leg to complete the trip in 2 minutes.

However if you only drive at 30 mph for the first mile then it you will already have taken 2 minutes; no matter how fast you drive for the second mile, you'll take longer than 2 minutes so you can't actually average 60 mph for the whole trip.


Note that this is because "average speed = distance traveled / travel time" and not the average of all the speeds over each segment.
 
  • #5
thnx! That makes sense! :)
 

Related to Calculating Average Speed in a Two-Mile Trip

1. What is the formula for calculating speed in mph?

The formula for calculating speed in mph is: speed (mph) = distance (miles) / time (hours). This formula is derived from the basic definition of speed, which is the distance traveled divided by the time it took to travel that distance.

2. How do I convert speed from mph to other units?

To convert speed from mph to other units, you can use the following conversions: 1 mph = 1.609344 km/h, 1 mph = 0.44704 m/s, 1 mph = 0.869 nmi/h. You can also use online conversion tools or refer to conversion tables for more accurate results.

3. Can speed be negative in mph?

Yes, speed can be negative in mph. A negative speed indicates that an object is moving in the opposite direction of the positive direction. For example, if a car is traveling at -60 mph, it means that the car is moving in the opposite direction of the positive direction at a speed of 60 mph.

4. What is the difference between speed and velocity?

The main difference between speed and velocity is that speed is a scalar quantity while velocity is a vector quantity. This means that speed only has magnitude, while velocity has both magnitude and direction. In other words, speed tells us how fast an object is moving, while velocity tells us not only how fast, but also in what direction the object is moving.

5. How is speed related to other concepts in physics?

Speed is closely related to other concepts in physics, such as distance, time, acceleration, and displacement. It is also a fundamental quantity in many equations, including the laws of motion and the equations for calculating kinetic and potential energy. Additionally, speed can be used to measure the rate of change of other physical quantities, such as temperature and sound.

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