How to find the average velocity over an interval?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking how to calculate average velocity over a given time interval. This typically involves finding the total displacement and dividing it by the total time taken for that interval.
Answer
The average velocity is calculated as $ \text{Average Velocity} = \frac{\text{Displacement}}{\text{Total Time}} $.
Answer for screen readers
The average velocity can be calculated using the equation $$ \text{Average Velocity} = \frac{\text{Displacement}}{\text{Total Time}} $$
Steps to Solve
- Identify Displacement
Determine the total displacement during the time interval. This is the change in position, calculated as: $$ \text{Displacement} = \text{Final Position} - \text{Initial Position} $$
- Identify Time Interval
Next, find the total time taken during the movement, calculated as: $$ \text{Total Time} = \text{Final Time} - \text{Initial Time} $$
- Calculate Average Velocity
Finally, calculate the average velocity using the formula: $$ \text{Average Velocity} = \frac{\text{Displacement}}{\text{Total Time}} $$
The average velocity can be calculated using the equation $$ \text{Average Velocity} = \frac{\text{Displacement}}{\text{Total Time}} $$
More Information
Average velocity gives you an idea of how quickly an object is moving over a period of time, and it is different from instantaneous velocity, which refers to speed at a specific moment.
Tips
- Forgetting to take into account the direction of displacement.
- Confusing total time with just the time in motion; make sure to use the correct start and endpoint.
- Not simplifying the fraction right away; always reduce when possible.
