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cowmoo32
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Homework Statement
The cheetah can run as fast as 113 km/h, the falcon can fly as fast as 161 km/h, and the sailfish can swim as fast as 105 km/h. The three of them run a relay with each covering a distance L at maximum speed. What is the average speed of this relay team for the entire relay?
Homework Equations
Average Speed = [itex]\frac{Total distance traveled}{Total Time}[/itex]
Average Velocity = [itex]\frac{Total displacement}{Total Time}[/itex]
The Attempt at a Solution
Each covers distance L, so a total of 3L, and the time it would take is their maximum velocity/L; 113/L + 161/L + 105/L. Is there some information I'm not accounting for?
I spoke with my professor and he had this to offer:
The average speed would be equal to one-third the sum of the three
speeds as you calculated if the three speeds were each maintained for
the same length of time. Instead, they are each maintained for the
same distance, which will give a slightly different result. Given a
distance and speed, you can calculate the time.