Calculating Average Velocity: Understanding the Mathematical Formula and Example

average velocity

Average velocity is a measure of the displacement of an object over a specific time interval

Average velocity is a measure of the displacement of an object over a specific time interval. It is the total change in position divided by the total change in time. The formula for average velocity is:

Average Velocity = (Change in Position) / (Change in Time)

In mathematical terms, if we represent the initial position as x1, the final position as x2, the initial time as t1, and the final time as t2, the average velocity can be calculated as:

Average Velocity = (x2 – x1) / (t2 – t1)

To understand this concept better, let’s consider an example. Imagine a car starting at position x1 = 0 meters at time t1 = 0 seconds and reaching position x2 = 100 meters at time t2 = 10 seconds. We can calculate the average velocity as follows:

Average Velocity = (100 m – 0 m) / (10 s – 0 s)
= 100 m / 10 s
= 10 m/s

Therefore, the average velocity of the car during this time interval is 10 meters per second. This means that, on average, the car is moving at a rate of 10 meters per second in the positive x direction.

It’s essential to note that average velocity considers the total displacement of an object during a given time interval, regardless of any changes or variations in speed or direction that may have occurred within that interval.

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