Question

Calculate: Use the data from all three legs to solve for each triathlete’s average speed using the following information:

Leg 1: Swimming
a. Total distance: 5 km
b. Triathlete A’s total time: 1.0 h
c. Triathlete B’s total time: 2.0 h
Leg 2: Biking
a. Total distance: 45 km
b. Triathlete A’s total time: 3.0 h
c. Triathlete B’s total time: 2.5 h

Answer 1

The average speed for Triathlete A is 12.5 km/h, and for Triathlete B, it is 11.11 km/h, both calculated using the total distance of 50 km and their respective total times.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the average speed for each triathlete, we use the formula:

Average speed = Total distance / Total time

For Triathlete A, the total distance is 5 km (swimming) + 45 km (biking) = 50 km, and the total time is 1.0 h (swimming) + 3.0 h (biking) = 4.0 h. Therefore, Triathlete A's average speed is:

50 km / 4.0 h = 12.5 km/h.

For Triathlete B, the total distance is the same (50 km), but the total time is 2.0 h (swimming) + 2.5 h (biking) = 4.5 h. Thus, Triathlete B's average speed is:

50 km / 4.5 h = 11.11 km/h (rounded to two decimal places).

Checking for reasonableness:

For Triathlete A, traveling at an average speed of 12.5 km/h over 4 hours means they would cover 50 km, which matches the total distance. For B, at 11.11 km/h for 4.5 hours, they would also cover 50 km, confirming the reasonableness of our calculation.