Question

which of the following is equal to average speed? choose 1 answer: a) \\(\frac{\text{time}}{\text{distance}}\\) b) \\(\text{distance} + \text{time}\\) c) \\(\frac{\text{distance}}{\text{time}}\\) d) \\(\text{distance} \times \text{time}\\)

Explanation:

To determine the formula for average speed, we recall the basic definition of speed. Speed is a measure of how fast an object is moving, and it is calculated by dividing the total distance traveled by the total time taken.

Let's analyze each option:

• Option A: $\frac{\text{time}}{\text{distance}}$ is the reciprocal of speed, which represents the time taken per unit distance, not speed.
• Option B: $\text{distance} + \text{time}$ is a sum of two different quantities (distance and time) and does not represent a meaningful physical quantity related to speed.
• Option C: $\frac{\text{distance}}{\text{time}}$ is the standard formula for average speed. It tells us how much distance is covered per unit of time.
• Option D: $\text{distance} \times \text{time}$ is the formula for distance traveled if speed is constant (since $\text{distance} = \text{speed} \times \text{time}$), but it is not the formula for speed itself.

Answer:

C. $\dfrac{\text{distance}}{\text{time}}$