Introduction

In this guide, we will walk you through the process of calculating distance using speed and time. The formula for distance is simple, but understanding the proper conversions and units is essential.


Example Data

  • Speed: 4.8 km/h
  • Time: 12 minutes 30 seconds

Convert Time to Hours

To calculate distance in meters, we first need to convert the time into hours. This involves converting both minutes and seconds into their corresponding hour values.


Convert Minutes to Hours

Since there are 60 minutes in an hour, we divide the time in minutes by 60:

$ \frac{12 \ \text{minutes}}{60} = 0.2 \ \text{hours} $


Convert Seconds to Hours

There are 3600 seconds in an hour (60 seconds per minute × 60 minutes). To convert 30 seconds into hours:

$ \frac{30 \ \text{seconds}}{3600} \approx 0.0083 \ \text{hours} $


Total Time in Hours

Now, sum the two time components (minutes and seconds):

$ \text{Total Time} = 0.2 \ \text{hours} + 0.0083 \ \text{hours} \approx 0.2083 \ \text{hours} $


Calculate Distance

Now that we have the total time in hours, we can calculate the distance by multiplying the speed by the time:

$ \text{Distance} = \text{Speed} \times \text{Time} = 4.8 \ \text{km/h} \times 0.2083 \ \text{hours} \approx 1.0 \ \text{km} $

To convert the result to meters, we multiply by 1000:

$ 1.0 \ \text{km} \times 1000 = 1000 \ \text{meters} $


Final Result

The distance is calculated to be 1000 meters.

This method shows how straightforward it is to calculate distance when you have the speed and time, provided you correctly convert the units into hours and kilometers.

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Last updated 19 Mar 2025, 09:47 CET . history