Final answer:
To convert 45.8 mi/hr to m/s, multiply by 1,609.34 to convert to m/hr, then divide by 3600 to convert to m/s, resulting in approximately 20.5 m/s.
Step-by-step explanation:
To convert Joe's top speed from miles per hour (mi/hr) to meters per second (m/s), we use the following conversion factors: 1 mile is equal to 1,609.34 meters, and 1 hour is equal to 3600 seconds. Therefore, to convert 45.8 mi/hr to m/s, the calculation is as follows:
- First, convert the speed from mi/hr to m/hr by multiplying by 1,609.34 (the number of meters in a mile): 45.8 mi/hr × 1,609.34 m/mi = 73,667.372 m/hr.
- Next, convert m/hr to m/s by dividing by 3600 (the number of seconds in an hour): 73,667.372 m/hr ÷ 3600 s/hr = 20.46316111 m/s.
Rounding to a manageable number of significant figures, Joe's clunker has a top speed of approximately 20.5 m/s.
Check to see if the answer is reasonable: 20.5 m/s is about 73 km/h (45.8 mi/hr), which confirms our calculation is reasonable as these speeds are equivalent.