141,996 views
9 votes
9 votes
The amount of time it takes a swimmer to swim a race is inversely proportional to the average speed of the swimmer. A swimmer finishes a race in 200 seconds with an average speed of 3 feet per second Find the average speed of the swimmer if it takes 120 seconds to finish the race A) 4 feet per second B) 6 feet per second C) 7 feet per second D) 5 feet per second

User Sergio Abreu
by
2.7k points

1 Answer

14 votes
14 votes
Answer:

D) 5 feet per second

Explanations:

Let the amount of time to finsh the race be represented by t

Let the average speed be represented by s

Tha amount of time is inversely proportional to the average speed. This can be represented mathematically as:

t α 1/s

Introducing a constant of proportionality, k

t = k/s.............................(*)

A swimmer finishes a race in 200 seconds with an average speed of 3 feet per second

t = 200 seconds

s = 3 feet per second

Substitute t = 200 and s = 3 into equation (*)

200 = k / 3

k = 200(3)

k = 600

To find the average speed of a swimmer that uses 120 seconds to finish the race

t = 120

To get the value of s, substitute k = 600 and t = 120 into the equation (*)

t = k/s

120 = 600/s

120s = 600

s = 600/120

s = 5

The average speed of the swimmer that uses 120 seconds to finish the race is 5 feet per second

User Ronencozen
by
2.8k points