Question

If a swimmer swims 85.4 yards in 5 minutes. How many meters will he swim in 70.0 seconds?

Answer 1

Start with a known ratio of distance to time and multiply by the desired time

`("85.4 yards") / ("5 minutes") * ("70.0 seconds")/1 = ?`

The units of measurement don't match so multiply by a ratio of the appropriate units where that ratio is equivalent to 1

`= ("85.4 yards") / ("5 minutes") * ("70.0 seconds")/1 * ("1 minute")/("60 seconds")`

Cancel out the equivalent units and factors:

`= ("85.4 yards") / (5) * 70.0/1 * 1/60`

Finish doing the arithmetic:

`= ("85.4 yards") / (5) * 70.0/60`

`= "19.9 yards"`

Since the answer is being asked for in meters, we know that
`"1 yard" = "0.9144 meters"`

`= ("19.9 yards") * ("0.9144 meters")/("1 yard")`

`= "18.1966 meters"`

Hope this simplifies the process for you.

Double Checking the Answer:

`("85.4 yards") / ("5 minutes") = ("18.1966 meters")/("70 seconds")`

`=> ("78.0898 meters") / ("300 seconds") = ("18.1966 meters")/("70 seconds")`

`=> "0.26 meters/second" = "0.26 meters/second"`