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

Mar 6, 2015

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

$= \left(\text{85.4 yards") / ("5 minutes") * ("70.0 seconds")/1 * ("1 minute")/("60 seconds}\right)$

Cancel out the equivalent units and factors:

$= \frac{\text{85.4 yards}}{5} \cdot \frac{70.0}{1} \cdot \frac{1}{60}$

Finish doing the arithmetic:

$= \frac{\text{85.4 yards}}{5} \cdot \frac{70.0}{60}$

$= \text{19.9 yards}$

Since the answer is being asked for in meters, we know that
$\text{1 yard" = "0.9144 meters}$

$= \left(\text{19.9 yards") * ("0.9144 meters")/("1 yard}\right)$

$= \text{18.1966 meters}$

Hope this simplifies the process for you.

$\left(\text{85.4 yards") / ("5 minutes") = ("18.1966 meters")/("70 seconds}\right)$
$\implies \left(\text{78.0898 meters") / ("300 seconds") = ("18.1966 meters")/("70 seconds}\right)$
$\implies \text{0.26 meters/second" = "0.26 meters/second}$