Calculate Distance: Speed 4.5 m/s for 30 Seconds Problem

Q: Why do I multiply speed by time instead of adding them?

Think of it this way: if Agnus runs 4.5 meters every second for 30 seconds, you need to count how many 4.5-meter segments he covers. That's 4.5 + 4.5 + 4.5... thirty times, which equals $ 4.5 \times 30 $!

Q: What if I accidentally divide instead of multiply?

Dividing gives you a much smaller number that doesn't make sense! In this problem, $ 4.5 ÷ 30 = 0.15 $ meters - that's only 6 inches total, which is impossible for someone running for 30 seconds.

Q: How do I remember which operation to use?

Remember: Distance = Speed × Time. Think "How far in how long?" - you're finding the total distance by multiplying how fast by how long.

Q: Do the units matter in this calculation?

Yes! Always check that units make sense. Here: meters/second × seconds = meters. The seconds cancel out, leaving you with meters for distance. If your units don't work out, you used the wrong operation!

Q: What if the speed or time were given as fractions?

The same formula applies! Just multiply the fractions: $ \frac{a}{b} \times \frac{c}{d} = \frac{a \times c}{b \times d} $. Remember to simplify your final answer if possible.

Distance Formula with Constant Speed

Agnus runs at a speed of 4.5 meters per second for 30 seconds.

What distance does Agnus cover?

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Understand the problem

Agnus runs at a speed of 4.5 meters per second for 30 seconds.

What distance does Agnus cover?

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we need to calculate the distance using the formula for distance given constant speed:

Step 1: Identify the given information:

Speed = $4.5$ meters per second
Time = $30$ seconds

Step 2: Apply the distance formula:

Distance = Speed $\times$ Time

Step 3: Perform the necessary calculations:

Distance = $4.5$ meters/second $\times 30$ seconds
Distance = $135$ meters

Therefore, the distance that Agnus covers is $135$ meters.

Final Answer

$135$ meters

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Formula: Distance equals speed multiplied by time (d = s × t)
Calculation: $4.5 \times 30 = 135$ meters per second times seconds
Check: Units cancel correctly: m/s × s = m, giving 135 meters ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Dividing speed by time instead of multiplying
Don't calculate 4.5 ÷ 30 = 0.15 meters! This gives you speed per unit time, not total distance covered. Always multiply speed by time to find distance traveled.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

David runs at a speed of 5 meters per second and covers a distance of 700 meters.

For how long does David run?

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why do I multiply speed by time instead of adding them?

Think of it this way: if Agnus runs 4.5 meters every second for 30 seconds, you need to count how many 4.5-meter segments he covers. That's 4.5 + 4.5 + 4.5... thirty times, which equals $4.5 \times 30$ !

What if I accidentally divide instead of multiply?

Dividing gives you a much smaller number that doesn't make sense! In this problem, $4.5 ÷ 30 = 0.15$ meters - that's only 6 inches total, which is impossible for someone running for 30 seconds.

How do I remember which operation to use?

Remember: Distance = Speed × Time. Think "How far in how long?" - you're finding the total distance by multiplying how fast by how long.

Do the units matter in this calculation?

Yes! Always check that units make sense. Here: meters/second × seconds = meters. The seconds cancel out, leaving you with meters for distance. If your units don't work out, you used the wrong operation!

What if the speed or time were given as fractions?

The same formula applies! Just multiply the fractions: $\frac{a}{b} \times \frac{c}{d} = \frac{a \times c}{b \times d}$ . Remember to simplify your final answer if possible.

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