If you divide the total distance traveled on a car trip | StudySoup

Textbook Solutions for College Physics

Chapter 2 Problem 11

Question

Problem 11CQ

If you divide the total distance traveled on a car trip (as determined by the odometer) by the time for the trip, are you calculating the average speed or the magnitude of the average velocity? Under what circumstances are these two quantities the same?

Solution

Step 1 of 2:

        If we divide the total distance travelled by the time taken, we will get the average speed.         

        Average speed =

        This relationship does not give the magnitude of average velocity. Because the average velocity require the displacement, not total distance.

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Title College Physics  1 
Author Paul Peter Urone, Roger Hinrichs
ISBN 9781938168000

If you divide the total distance traveled on a car trip

Chapter 2 textbook questions

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