Final answer:
To find the actual speed when the speedometer reading is 55 miles per hour, take into account the uncertainty in the speedometer reading and calculate the range of possible speeds.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the actual speed when the speedometer reading is 55 miles per hour, we need to take into account the uncertainty in the speedometer reading. Since the speedometer has a 5.0% uncertainty, the range of possible speeds can be calculated by multiplying the speedometer reading by 1 plus or minus the percentage uncertainty. Therefore:
Minimum possible speed = 55 mph * (1 - 0.050) = 55 mph * 0.950 = 52.25 mph
Maximum possible speed = 55 mph * (1 + 0.050) = 55 mph * 1.050 = 57.75 mph
Therefore, the actual speed when the speedometer reading is 55 miles per hour lies between 52.25 mph and 57.75 mph.