An airplane travels at 300 mi/h south for 2.00 h and then at 250 mi/h north for 750 miles. What is the average speed for the trip?
A) 280 mi/h
B) 270 mi/h
C) 275 mi/h
D) 260 mi/h

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The total distance traveled is the sum of the distances in each segment: $2.00 \, \text{h} \times 300 \, \text{mi/h} = 600 \, \text{mi}$ south and $750 \, \text{mi}$ north, for a total of $600 + 750 = 1350 \, \text{mi}$. The time for the first segment is $2.00 \, \text{h}$, and for the second segment, it's $750 \, \text{mi} / 250 \, \text{mi/h} = 3.00 \, \text{h}$, totaling $2.00 + 3.00 = 5.00 \, \text{h}$. The average speed is the total distance divided by the total time: $1350 \, \text{mi} / 5.00 \, \text{h} = 270 \, \text{mi/h}$.

An Airplane Travels at 300 Mi/h South for 2