A car travels 400 miles in 8 hours. What is its average speed?
The average speed is 50 mph.
How to work it out
- 1
Write down what you know: distance d = 400 miles, time t = 8 hours. You are asked for the speed v.
- 2
Use the formula speed = distance ÷ time:
- 3
Answer with the unit: 50 mph.
- 4
The same formula rearranged: distance = speed × time (50 × 8 = 400 miles) and time = distance ÷ speed (400 ÷ 50 = 8 hours).
LaTeX source of the formulas on this page
\[ v = \frac{d}{t} = \frac{400}{8} = 50\ \text{mph} \]
\[ v = \frac{d}{t} = \frac{400}{8} = 50 \]How far at 50 mph
| Time | Distance |
|---|---|
| 0.5 hours | 25 miles |
| 1 hour | 50 miles |
| 2 hours | 100 miles |
| 3 hours | 150 miles |
| 4 hours | 200 miles |
| 5 hours | 250 miles |
Questions
What is the speed if a car travels 400 miles in 8 hours?
The average speed is 50 mph.
How far does it go in 3 hours at that speed?
150 miles.