Help verify this question about average acceleration?

[iamjohnny56]

Homework Statement

A car traveling in a straight line has a velocity of 5.51 m/s at some instant. After 7.36 s, its velocity is 8.09 m/s.
What is its average acceleration in this time interval?
Answer in units of m/s^2.

Homework Equations

avg. acceleration = (v2 - v1) / (t2 - t1)

The Attempt at a Solution

(8.09 m/s) - (5.51 m/s) / (7.36 s - 0 s)
= .350 m/s^2

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The only thing I'm not sure about is the "0s" used above: is that the right interval? I'm confused if I'm approaching this right, so could anyone help me please?

Thanks!

 

[Doc Al]

Looks perfect to me. Think of it as a = Δv/Δt, where the Δt is the time interval during which the velocity changes.

 

[berkeman]

Homework Statement

A car traveling in a straight line has a velocity of 5.51 m/s at some instant. After 7.36 s, its velocity is 8.09 m/s.
What is its average acceleration in this time interval?
Answer in units of m/s^2.

Homework Equations

avg. acceleration = (v2 - v1) / (t2 - t1)

The Attempt at a Solution

(8.09 m/s) - (5.51 m/s) / (7.36 s - 0 s)
= .350 m/s^2

---------------

The only thing I'm not sure about is the "0s" used above: is that the right interval? I'm confused if I'm approaching this right, so could anyone help me please?

Thanks!

Yes, it's fine to call the start time t=0. You could also just call the denominator delta_t=7.36s.

 

[iamjohnny56]

Ok, thank you guys! It does make more sense to think of it as Δv/Δt, so thank you!

 

[berkeman]

Oh, man. Doc beat me to it again. Sigh.