Final answer:
The new distance and estimated driving time would be calculated based on the length of the new path and the average speed of travel. If the new path is 3 km instead of 2 km with an average speed of 4 km/h, the driving time would be 45 minutes each way.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to calculating the new distance and estimated driving time for a route based on provided information about travel distances and times. To calculate the new distance when a different path is taken, one would need information on the length of this new path. For example, if you drive to a friend's house taking a different route than usual, the distance travelled can be different, though the straight-line distance between the houses remains constant.
To compute the estimated driving time for the new route, you would use the average speed at which you plan to travel. Given that the student mentions travelling 2 km in 30 minutes on both the outbound and return trip, this indicates an average speed of 4 km/h. If the new path has a different length, say 3 km, at the same speed, the estimated driving time would be 45 minutes for that distance.
In the real-world scenario, such as the train example provided, if a train travels 40 miles one way and 40 miles back, the total distance covered would be 80 miles. Using the same principle, if the new path was 3 km each way, the total distance would be 6 km. The estimated driving time would then be calculated by considering the distance and the travel speed, which was previously 4 km/h.