DISCLAIMER: The 2 “activities below were made with Chat GPT as active tables that work out numbers, the format is a little off, but the numbers work. Good luck playing around with the settings.
Average Speed: Calculating Your Trip to School
Objective:
- Break your trip into 4 different speed zones.
- Calculate your average speed using the data you gather.
- Compare your average speed with the typical speeds of walking, cycling, taking a bus, and driving a car.
- Determine how long it would take you to get to school using these different modes of transportation.
Step 1: Break Your Trip into Speed Zones
Definition:
A speed zone is a section of your journey where your speed remains relatively constant. For example, walking through your neighborhood at a slow pace or riding a bike along a fast road.
Instructions:
- Break your trip from home to school into 4 different speed zones. Think about areas where you travel at different speeds, such as walking slowly, riding a bike on a flat road, or waiting in traffic.
- Write down the distance and speed for each zone.
| Speed Zone | Distance (km) | Speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | ||
| Zone 2 | ||
| Zone 3 | ||
| Zone 4 | ||
| Total/average |
Step 2: Calculate Time for Each Speed Zone
Word Equation:
The formula to find the time for each speed zone in hours is below.
To convert the time to minutes, multiply by 60.
Time (hours) = Distance (km) / Speed (km/h)Time (minutes) = Time (hours) * 60
Instructions:
- Use the word equation to calculate the time for each zone in hours and minutes.
- Enter the calculated times into the table.
| Speed Zone | Distance (km) | Speed (km/h) | Time (hours) | Time (minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | ||||
| Zone 2 | ||||
| Zone 3 | ||||
| Zone 4 | ||||
| Total/average |
Step 3: Calculate the Total Distance and Total Time
Word Equation:
- The total distance is the sum of the distances from each speed zone:
- The total time is the sum of the times from each speed zone, in hours and minutes:
Total Time (minutes) = Total Time (hours) * 60
Instructions:
- Add up all the distances to get the total distance.
- Add up all the times (in both hours and minutes) to get the total time.
Step 4: Calculate Your Average Speed
Word Equation:
The formula for average speed is:
Average Speed (km/h) = Total Distance (km) / Total Time (hours)Instructions:
- Divide the total distance by the total time (in hours) to calculate your average speed.
- Record your average speed.
Step 5: Compare to Other Modes of Transportation
Reference Average Speeds:
- Walking: 5 km/h
- Cycling: 15 km/h
- Bus: 30 km/h
- Car: 50 km/h
Word Equation for Time:
To find out how long it would take using different modes of transportation, use this formula:
Time (hours) = Distance (km) / Speed (km/h)To convert time into minutes, multiply the time (in hours) by 60:Time (minutes)=Time (hours)×60\text{Time (minutes)} = \text{Time (hours)} \times 60Time (minutes)=Time (hours)×60
Time (minutes) = Time (hours) * 60Instructions:
- Use the total distance from Step 3.
- Use the reference speeds to calculate how long it would take to get to school using these modes of transportation.
- Enter your results in the table below.
| Mode of Transportation | Speed (km/h) | Time to School (hours) | Time to School (minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | 5 | ||
| Cycling | 18 | ||
| Bus | 30 | ||
| Car | 50 | ||
| Your calculated |
Step 6: Analyse Your Results
- Which mode of transportation is the fastest?
- How does your average speed compare to the speeds of walking, cycling, bus, or car?
- If you wanted to get to school faster, what could you do to increase your average speed?
- Do you think this is the only factor to consider? What else might impact average speed?
- Do you expect traffic to impact all modes of transportation equally?
Optional Extension:
Experiment with changing your distances or speeds for each speed zone. How does this affect your overall average speed and the time it takes to get to school?
Mr Danic 