Final answer:
The ant's instantaneous speed on the return trip to the anthill is 6 inches per second, calculated by dividing the distance of 48 inches by the time of 8 seconds.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has asked for the instantaneous speed of the ant on its return trip to the anthill. Instantaneous speed is the speed at a specific moment in time. To calculate this, we use the formula speed = distance/time. The ant traveled 48 inches in 8 seconds. Therefore, the instantaneous speed of the ant on the return trip to the anthill is 6 inches per second.