Final answer:
The average speed of the Zephyr train during its record-breaking run was approximately 124.8 km/h or 34.7 m/s, calculated by dividing the distance traveled by the time taken and converting the units accordingly.
Step-by-step explanation:
The maximum amount of time allowed in train service can refer to various operational and service aspects, but from a mathematical viewpoint, we can look at an example involving the calculation of a train's average speed. On May 26, 1934, the Zephyr train set a speed record from Denver to Chicago. The train traveled a distance of 1633.8 km in 13 hours, 4 minutes, 58 seconds. To calculate the average speed in km/h, we divide the distance by the time in hours.
First, we convert the time to hours: 13 hours + (4/60) hours + (58/3600) hours = 13.0828 hours.
Then, calculate the average speed (v) in km/h: v = 1633.8 km / 13.0828 hours ≈ 124.8 km/h
To get the speed in meters per second (m/s), we use the conversion factor that 1 km/h is approximately equal to 0.27778 m/s: 124.8 km/h * 0.27778 ≈ 34.7 m/s.
This calculation demonstrates how mathematics is applied to real-world scenarios, such as determining the average train speed from historical data.