Final answer:
To calculate the average rate between two points, such as average speed, divide the total distance by the total time. Measurements are plotted on a Distance vs. Time graph, and the slope of the line represents the average velocity. If multiple intervals are involved, a weighted average of rates is calculated for the whole duration.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the average rate between two points, you'll need to calculate the change in the quantity of interest (such as distance, in the case of velocity) divided by the change in time. The formula for determining the average speed, which is one aspect of the average rate, is very straightforward. In equation form, average speed = distance traveled รท time of travel.
The process of finding this average rate essentially involves measurement and calculation steps:
- Measure the distance traveled by the car for each time interval.
- Record the time taken for each distance measurement twice, then calculate the average time for greater accuracy.
- Plot a graph of Distance (y-axis) vs. Time (x-axis) on graph paper to visualize the relationship.
- Insert axis labels and units for clarity.
- Draw a straight line that best fits the data points on the graph.
- Determine the gradient (or slope) of this line, which represents the average velocity between the points.