Final Answer:
Assuming a similar stride length in proportion to leg length, a giraffe, with legs of 1.8 meters, might walk at an expected speed of around 3 meters per second.
Step-by-step explanation:
To estimate the giraffe's walking speed based on its longer legs compared to a typical American man:
Stride Length Ratio: Since a giraffe has longer legs (1.8 m) compared to the typical American man (0.85 m), assume that the stride length of a giraffe is directly proportional to its leg length.
Ratio = Giraffe's leg length / American man's leg length
Ratio = 1.8 m / 0.85 m ≈ 2.12
Speed Ratio: Assuming a similar walking style and pace efficiency, the speed is proportional to the stride length.
Expected giraffe's speed = Speed of American man * Stride Length Ratio
Expected giraffe's speed = 1.4 m/s * 2.12 ≈ 2.97 m/s ≈ 3 m/s (rounded)
Therefore, based on the proportionality between leg length and walking speed, we can estimate that a giraffe, with legs of 1.8 meters, might walk at an expected speed of around 3 meters per second.