Final answer:
Steve's average rate of speed is found by dividing the distance walked (7/8 mile) by the time taken (1/2 hour) resulting in an average speed of 1.75 miles per hour.
Step-by-step explanation:
If Steve walked 7/8 mile in 1/2 hour, to find his average rate of speed, we divide the distance by the time. To calculate Steve's average speed, we perform the following steps:
- Convert the time to a standard unit (hours), which is already in hours in this case.
- Divide the distance (7/8 mile) by the time (1/2 hour) to get his average speed.
- Since we have a fraction divided by a fraction, we multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second fraction.
Performing the calculation, we get:
7/8 mile × 2/1 hour = 7/4 miles per hour or 1.75 miles per hour.
Therefore, Steve's average speed while walking was 1.75 miles per hour.