Final answer:
Mary's speed was 6.67 km/h while Melanie's speed was 7.06 km/h. Comparing these speeds, Melanie ran the faster race.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine which runner ran the faster race, we need to calculate their speeds in the same units and compare them. Mary’s speed can be calculated as follows:
- Distance: 5 kilometers
- Time: 45 minutes (which is ⅔ hour)
Mary’s speed in kilometers per hour (km/h) is:
Speed = Distance / Time = 5 km / (⅔ h) = 5 km / 0.75 h = 6.67 km/h
Melanie’s speed is calculated in a similar manner:
- Distance: 2 kilometers
- Time: 17 minutes (which is approximately 0.2833 hour)
Melanie’s speed in km/h is:
Speed = Distance / Time = 2 km / 0.2833 h = 7.06 km/h
Melanie ran the faster race as her speed of 7.06 km/h is greater than Mary’s 6.67 km/h.