Uses of the average velocity/speed

[albertrichardf]

Hi,

I was wondering if there is any use for the average velocity or average speed. I've seen them used as an intermediary step in textbooks to derive the instant velocity or instant speed. Other than that, I've never ever seen them used, and searching online just returns definitions and calculations.

Any uses for these?

Thanks for answering.

 

[Vanadium 50]

If I am driving from San Francisco to Los Angeles at an average speed of 50 miles per hour, how long will it take to get there?

 

[PeroK]

Constant acceleration kinematic problems can often be solved using average velocity considerations instead of the SUVAT equations.

 

[albertrichardf]

If I am driving from San Francisco to Los Angeles at an average speed of 50 miles per hour, how long will it take to get there?

About half a day, based on the distance google returned.
I didn't think of using it like that. Thanks for answering.

 

[albertrichardf]

Constant acceleration kinematic problems can often be solved using average velocity considerations instead of the SUVAT equations.

I didn't think of that. Thanks for answering.

 

[Ibix]

If I am driving from San Francisco to Los Angeles at an average speed of 50 miles per hour, how long will it take to get there?

If I were pedantic, I'd point out that it depends on what it was you were averaging over. Time or distance?

 

[Vanadium 50]

If I were pedantic

Good thing you're not, then, because that would be a complication more confusing than clarifying.

 

[CWatters]

Constant acceleration kinematic problems can often be solved using average velocity considerations instead of the SUVAT equations.

One of the SUVAT equations effectively contains the average velocity. I'm thinking of s = t*(u+v)/2