What Was the Average Velocity of the Hiker During the Trip?

In summary, a hiker walks 6.7 miles to the east in 5.1 hours and then turns around and walks 1.1 miles to the west in 1 hour. To calculate the average velocity for the entire trip, we add the distances and divide by the total time, taking into account that the return trip is in the opposite direction. This gives us a result of 1.27 mph.
  • #1
physicsgurl12
184
0

Homework Statement



a hiker walks 6.7 miles to the east in 5.1 hours. then turns around and walks 1.1 miles to the west in 1 hour. what was her average velocity during the trip?
A 1.2mph
B 1.3mph
C .92mph
D 3.9mph

Homework Equations


not sure how to write what i used


The Attempt at a Solution


6.7/5.1=1.3
1.1/1=1.1
1.3+1.1=2.4/2=1.2
 
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  • #2
It seems you're not done yet! :smile:

Let's start with the word "velocity".
Do you know what it means?
That is, is it a scalar or a vector?

Second, the term "average velocity".
What you should know is that you shouldn't average the speeds of the first part and the second part.
Instead you should calculate the total distance and divide that by the total time.
 
  • #3
velocity is a vector because it has a magnitude and a direction.
so i should do something like 6.7+1.1/5.1+1=7.8/6.1=1.27
 
  • #4
You just got the "average speed".
To get the "average velocity" you need to take into account that the second part of the trip is back.

(And please add parentheses when they are required. :wink:)
 
  • #5
okay so how do i do that??
 
  • #6
Going back is "minus" vector wise.
 
  • #7
so should i do 6.7-1.1/5.1+1
 
  • #8
Shall we make that: (6.7-1.1)/(5.1+1)?
The parentheses are really required.
Otherwise you're quite right.
 
  • #9
okay. i got why the () are required. haha thanks i think I am almost done
 
  • #10
Yeah, I think so too...
 

What is average velocity?

Average velocity is a measure of the rate of displacement of an object over a certain period of time. It takes into account both the distance traveled and the time taken to travel that distance.

How is average velocity calculated?

The formula for average velocity is displacement divided by time, or v = Δx / Δt. This means that the change in position (displacement) is divided by the change in time.

What is the difference between average velocity and instantaneous velocity?

Average velocity is calculated over a certain period of time, while instantaneous velocity is the velocity at a specific moment in time. Average velocity takes into account the overall motion of an object, while instantaneous velocity looks at a single point in time.

Can average velocity be negative?

Yes, average velocity can be negative if the displacement is in the opposite direction of the motion. For example, if a hiker moves 5 meters east and then 3 meters west, their average velocity would be -2 m/s.

How does average velocity differ from average speed?

Average speed is a measure of how fast an object is moving, without taking into account the direction of motion. Average velocity, on the other hand, includes both the speed and direction of an object's motion. This means that two objects with the same average speed can have different average velocities if they are moving in different directions.

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