Final answer:
The ratio of average velocity to average speed in the described scenario is 0, because the average velocity is zero while the average speed has a positive value. None of the provided options A, B, C, or D are correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to the comparison between average velocity and average speed. In physics, average velocity is a vector quantity that considers both magnitude and direction. In the given scenario, where an object travels 60 meters east and then 60 meters west, the total displacement is zero, because the final position coincides with the initial position. Hence, the average velocity is also zero.
On the other hand, average speed is a scalar quantity, which only considers the magnitude of distance traveled over time, without taking into account the direction. So, the total distance traveled is 60 meters east plus 60 meters west, which equals 120 meters. Since the total time taken is fifteen minutes (or 900 seconds), the average speed is the total distance divided by the total time, which is 120 meters/900 seconds = 0.133 meters per second (m/s).
Asking for the ratio of average velocity to average speed in this case leads to a simple conclusion: the ratio is 0/0.133, which is 0. So, among the available options, the correct answer would be represented by 0 (however, none of the given options are correct; they all have non-zero numbers).