Finding time from average speed

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a golfer's movement in two parts: riding in a golf cart at a certain speed and then walking at a different speed. The objective is to determine the time spent walking based on the average speed for the entire trip.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss breaking the problem into two segments and calculating distances based on given speeds and times. There is an exploration of how to relate the average speed of the entire trip to the distances and times involved.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered guidance on setting up equations based on total distance and time, while others are questioning the use of the second speed in their calculations. There is an ongoing exploration of how to express unknowns in terms of each other.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the need to clarify the relationship between distance, time, and speed, particularly in the context of the second segment of the trip. There is also a recognition of potential typos in earlier posts that could affect understanding.

a lone fishy
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Homework Statement



A golfer rides in a golf cart at an average speed of 3.1 m/s for 28s. She then gets out of the cart and starts walking at an average speed of 1.3 m/s. For how long must she walk if her average speed for the entire trip, riding and walking, is 1.8 m/s ?

Homework Equations


[/B]
Vave = distance/time

The Attempt at a Solution


[/B]
This question seems simple considering there's only formula at play. I tried splitting up into 2 parts. The first part, the person walks at an average speed of 3.1 m/s for 28s. Distance can be calculated as 86.8 m

After this I got lost. I know there's a second part where she walks at an average speed of 1.3 m/s. However nothing else is known. And we know her entire average speed is 1.8 m/s

Any ideas?
 
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Let ##t## be the time she walks.
You can compute the total time of the trip and the total distance of the trip in function of ##t##.
As you also know the average speed for the entire trip, this will give you an equation in ##t##.
 
I didn't quite understand your second line.
Right now I have 1.8=86.8 + d / 28 + t where 1.8 is the average speed of the whole trip, d is the unknown distance from the second interval, and t is the unknown time from the second interval.

Im not sure if I am on the right track nor where to proceed from here

EDIT
where does the 1.3 m/s speed in the second interval come into play?
 
a lone fishy said:
I didn't quite understand your second line.
Right now I have 1.8=86.8 + d / 28 + t where 1.8 is the average speed of the whole trip, d is the unknown distance from the second interval, and t is the unknown time from the second interval.

Im not sure if I am on the right track nor where to proceed from here
I assume you meant ##1.8=(86.8 + d) /( 28 + t)##.

You know that she walked at 1.3 m/s, so that should allow you to express ##d## in terms of ##t##.
 
Minor correction: she walks at 1.3 m/s
 
jbriggs444 said:
Minor correction: she walks at 1.3 m/s
Thanks, I corrected the typo.
 
a lone fishy said:
EDIT
where does the 1.3 m/s speed in the second interval come into play?
That's the correct question. You haven't used the 1.3 m/s speed so far.
What relation is there between 1.3 m/s, d and t?
 
Ah I think i got it now.

Right now we have the following: 1.8=(86.8+d)/(28+t).

If we find that d then we can have an equation solvable for t.

In interval two we have 1.3 = distance / t
and this equals to: distance = 1.3t

Then we can plug in that value as the d and solve for t :D
 
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