Question

During a physics experiment, a student determines that the unit rate for a marble’s motion is 2 centimeters per second. What is the unit rate describing the number of seconds it takes the marble to travel one centimeter?

A.) 1/2 second/1 centemeter
B.) 2 sec/1 centemeter
C.) 1/4 sec/1 centemeter
D.) 4 sec/ 1 centemeter

Answer 1

The unit rate for the marble's motion is 2 centimeters per second. The inverse of this rate, representing the time taken to travel one centimeter, is 1/2 second per centimeter (option A). This means the marble takes half a second to cover each centimeter.

Step-by-step explanation:

When determining the unit rate, we are comparing the amount of one quantity with respect to another. In this case, the unit rate for the marble's motion is 2 centimeters per second. To find the unit rate describing the number of seconds it takes the marble to travel one centimeter, we can invert the given unit rate. The inverse of 2 centimeters per second is 1/2 second per centimeter. Therefore, the unit rate describing the number of seconds it takes the marble to travel one centimeter is 1/2 second/1 centimeter (option A).