Final answer:
Kenneth's speed is calculated by dividing the total distance he covered (10 laps around a 72 m perimeter pond) by the time he took to run this distance (3 minutes converted to 180 seconds). His speed is 4 meters per second.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate Kenneth's speed in meters per second, we must first understand the total distance he ran and the time taken to complete that distance. Kenneth ran around the pond with a perimeter of 72 meters for 10 laps, giving us a total distance covered.
Total Distance = Perimeter × Number of Laps = 72 m × 10 = 720 meters.
To find the average speed, we divide the total distance by the total time in seconds. Kenneth took 3 minutes to complete his run. Convert minutes into seconds.
Total Time = 3 min × 60 seconds/min = 180 seconds.
Average Speed = Total Distance / Total Time = 720 m / 180 s = 4 m/s.
Therefore, Kenneth's speed is 4 meters per second.
Checking the Reasonableness of the Answer
As an additional step, we can check if the calculated speed seems reasonable by comparing it with common speeds. An Olympic sprinter can run 100 m in approximately 10 s, which corresponds to an average speed of 10 m/s. Kenneth's speed of 4 m/s is slower, as expected for someone who is not a professional sprinter but is still running a significant distance at a steady pace. The answer appears reasonable.