Final answer:
The cheetah's acceleration is found using the formula for acceleration, which in this case is 24 m/s divided by 3.0 s, resulting in an acceleration of 8 m/s².
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks us to calculate the acceleration of a cheetah that accelerates from rest to a speed of 24 m/s in 3.0 seconds. Acceleration is defined as the change in velocity divided by the time taken to make that change. Since the cheetah starts from rest, its initial velocity is 0 m/s, and its final velocity is 24 m/s. Thus, the change in velocity is 24 m/s - 0 m/s = 24 m/s. Using the formula for acceleration (a = Δv / t), where Δv is the change in velocity and t is the time, we find that the acceleration (a) is 24 m/s divided by 3.0 s, which equals 8 m/s².