A car travels up a hill at a constant speed of 37 km/h and returns down the hill at a constant speed of 66 km/h. Calculate the average speed for the whole trip
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By definition ,the average speed is the ration of the total traveled distance and the total traveled time. Let's assume the total traveled distance of the car as L.
Then the time of the travel up the hill is :
t1 = 0.5L / V1 = L / 74
The time of the travel down the hill is
t2 = 0.5L / V2 = L / 132
The total traveled time is t = t1+ t2 = 0.02 L
so the average velocity is
V= L/t = L/0.02L ----> V~47 Kmh
Then the time of the travel up the hill is :
t1 = 0.5L / V1 = L / 74
The time of the travel down the hill is
t2 = 0.5L / V2 = L / 132
The total traveled time is t = t1+ t2 = 0.02 L
so the average velocity is
V= L/t = L/0.02L ----> V~47 Kmh