Final answer:
To calculate speed in feet per second, divide the distance in feet by the time in seconds. Ensure that both distance and time units match before calculation and check the reasonableness of your calculated speed.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate speed in feet per second, you use the formula: speed = distance/time. This fundamental physics equation implies that to find speed, you simply divide the distance traveled by the object in feet by the time it took to travel that distance in seconds. For example, if a car traveled 150 feet in 3 seconds, you would calculate its speed by dividing 150 by 3, resulting in a speed of 50 feet per second.
Remember to make sure that your units for distance and time match; they must both be in feet and seconds, respectively. If you initially have distance in another unit, such as meters, you'll need to convert to feet (1 meter = 3.28084 feet). Similarly, if time is not in seconds, convert it accordingly before performing the calculation.
Check the reasonableness of your answer to ensure it's not too large or too small. For instance, speeds significantly higher than what an average person can run would be suspect for human running velocities and might indicate an error in the calculation or the need for unit conversion.