Question

I started out at 150 km/hr for 2 hours, but then I hit a traffic jam that took 1 hour to go the next 20 km. I had to make a rest stop for half an hour to walk my dog, but then finally went 160 km/hr for the last 3 hrs. What was my average speed for the whole trip?

Answer 1

To find the average speed, the total distance (800 km) and total time (6.5 hours) were calculated, resulting in an average speed of approximately 123.08 km/hr for the entire trip.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the average speed for the entire trip, we first need to determine the total distance traveled and the total time spent traveling. The student drove at different speeds and times, so we need to take each segment into account:

• 150 km/hr for 2 hours: 300 km
• Traffic jam for 1 hour: 20 km
• Rest stop: 0.5 hours (does not affect distance)
• 160 km/hr for the last 3 hours: 480 km

The total distance traveled is 300 km + 20 km + 480 km = 800 km.

The total time spent is 2 hours + 1 hour + 0.5 hours + 3 hours = 6.5 hours.

The average speed can now be calculated using the formula:

Average Speed = Total Distance ÷ Total Time

Average Speed = 800 km ÷ 6.5 hours

Average Speed = approximately 123.08 km/hr

The student's average speed for the whole trip is approximately 123.08 km/hr.