Question

speed & average speed practice worksheet - 7th grade
part 1: vocabulary & definitions
match the term to its correct definition.

1. speed
2. average speed
3. distance
4. time

a. how long something takes to happen b. the total length of the path traveled c. the rate at which an object moves d. the total distance divided by total time
part 2: formula practice
fill in the blanks with the correct formula.

1. speed =
2. average speed =

part 3: solve the problems
show your work for each question.

1. a car travels 120 miles in 2 hours. what is its speed?
2. a runner completes a 400 - meter lap in 50 seconds. what is her speed in meters per second?
3. a train travels 300 miles in 5 hours. what is its average speed?
4. a student walks 3 km to school in 45 minutes. what is her speed in km per minute?
5. a plane flies 1,200 miles in 3 hours. what is its speed?

Explanation:

Part 1: Matching Definitions

1. Speed

Speed is the rate at which an object moves. So 1 - C.

2. Average Speed

Average speed is the total distance divided by total time. So 2 - D.

3. Distance

Distance is the total length of the path traveled. So 3 - B.

4. Time

Time is how long something takes to happen. So 4 - A.

Part 2: Formula Practice

1. Speed

The formula for speed is $Speed=\frac{Distance}{Time}$.

2. Average Speed

The formula for average speed is $Average\ Speed=\frac{Total\ Distance}{Total\ Time}$.

Part 3: Solving Problems

1. Car problem

Step1: Identify values

Given distance $d = 120$ miles and time $t=2$ hours.

Step2: Apply formula

Using $v=\frac{d}{t}$, we have $v=\frac{120}{2}=60$ miles per hour.

2. Runner problem

Step1: Identify values

Given distance $d = 400$ meters and time $t = 50$ seconds.

Step2: Apply formula

Using $v=\frac{d}{t}$, we get $v=\frac{400}{50}=8$ meters per second.

3. Train problem

Step1: Identify values

Given distance $d = 300$ miles and time $t = 5$ hours.

Step2: Apply formula

Using $v=\frac{d}{t}$, we find $v=\frac{300}{5}=60$ miles per hour.

4. Student - walking problem

Step1: Identify values

Given distance $d = 3$ km and time $t = 45$ minutes.

Step2: Apply formula

Using $v=\frac{d}{t}$, we have $v=\frac{3}{45}=\frac{1}{15}\approx0.067$ km per minute.

5. Plane problem

Step1: Identify values

Given distance $d = 1200$ miles and time $t = 3$ hours.

Step2: Apply formula

Using $v=\frac{d}{t}$, we obtain $v=\frac{1200}{3}=400$ miles per hour.

Answer:

Part 1:

1. C. The rate at which an object moves
2. D. The total distance divided by total time
3. B. The total length of the path traveled
4. A. How long something takes to happen

Part 2:

1. $\frac{Distance}{Time}$
2. $\frac{Total\ Distance}{Total\ Time}$

Part 3:

1. 60 miles per hour
2. 8 meters per second
3. 60 miles per hour
4. $\frac{1}{15}$ km per minute (or approximately 0.067 km per minute)
5. 400 miles per hour