Question

Swimmers on a 4x100 relay team each swim 100 meters, and their individual times are totaled to form their overall team time. A particular team records how long it takes each swimmer to complete their portion of the race each time they swim 100 meters in practice and competitions. Individual swimmers' times are independent from each other. What is the purpose of recording the individual swimmers' times?

1) To determine the fastest swimmer on the team
2) To track the progress of each swimmer
3) To calculate the average time for the team
4) To identify areas for improvement in each swimmer's technique

Answer 1

The recording of individual swimmers' times in a 4x100 relay serves to determine the fastest swimmer, track individual progress, calculate team average times, and identify areas for technical improvement. The new high school track coach's stopwatch, with an uncertainty of ±0.05 s, is precise enough to be helpful in timing sprinters with close race results.

Step-by-step explanation:

The recording of individual swimmers' times in a 4x100 relay team serves multiple purposes:

• To determine the fastest swimmer on the team- This can be used to decide the order in which swimmers will compete in the relay.
• To track the progress of each swimmer- By consistently measuring each swimmer's time, coaches can assess improvements or declines in performance over time.
• To calculate the average time for the team- While it is not the main purpose, knowing the team's average can provide insight into the team's overall performance compared to other teams.
• To identify areas for improvement in each swimmer's technique- Detailed analysis of each time can reveal trends which might indicate technical weaknesses that could be corrected with targeted training.

As for the new stopwatch purchased by a high school track coach which has an uncertainty of ±0.05 s, it will be helpful in timing the sprint team since the difference between the first-place and second-place sprinters during the school's last meet was 0.03 s, which is within the timing precision of the new stopwatch. Thus, the stopwatch is sufficient to measure the performance of the runners and distinguish between such close times in competition.