Question

If the average speed of a garden snail is 0.025 miles per hour and one inch is approximately 2.54 centimeters, how many minutes would it take a garden snail to travel one meter? Round the answer to the nearest tenth.

A) 1.4 minutes
B) 1.5 minutes
C) 2.1 minutes
D) 2.6 minutes

Answer 1

B

Explanation:

First, convert speed in miles per hour to inches per second.

Use

1 mile = 63,360 inches

1 hour = 3,600 seconds

Then

`0.025\ (miles)/(hour)\\ \\ \\=0.025 \ (miles)/(hour)* 63,360\ (inches)/(mile)\ / 3,600\ (seconds)/(hour)\\ \\ \\=(0.025* 63,360)/(3,600)\ (inches)/(second)\\ \\ \\=(1,584)/(3,600)\ (inches)/(second)\\ \\ \\=0.44\ (inches)/(second)`

Now, use the fact that

1 inch = 2.54 cm, so

`0.44\ (inches)/(second)\\ \\ \\=0.44\ (inches)/(second)* 2.54\ (centimeters)/(inch)\\ \\ \\=1.1176\ (centimeters)/(second)`

Finally,

Distance = 1 m = 100 cm

Speed = 1.1176 cm/sec

Time = ? sec

Hence,

`t=(D)/(r)=(100)/(1.1176)\approx 89.5 sec\approx 1\ minute\ 30 \ seconds=1.5\ minutes`