An object travels North at #5 m/s# for #8 s# and then travels South at #4 m/s# for # 2 s#. What are the object's average speed and velocity?

1 Answer
Aug 5, 2017

The average speed is #=4.8ms^-1#
The average velocity is #=3.2ms^-1#

Explanation:

The total distance travelled is #d=5*8+4*2=40+8=48m#

The total time is #t=8+2=10s#

The average speed is

#barv=d/t=48/10=4.8ms^-1#

The displacement is

#Deltax=5*8-4*2=40-8=32m#

The average velocity is

#=(Deltax)/t=32/10=3.2ms^-1#