Question

A car travels 8m towards north with the speed of 2m/sand then 6m towards south with the speed of 3m/s. Find the magnitude of average velocity

Answer 1

The average velocity is given as the ratio of total displacement to the total time.
Now, from your question, let the north direction be taken as positive and south be taken as negative.

It moves +8m (north direction) with a speed of 2m/s.
Time taken to move north = distance/speed = 8/2=4s

It moves - 6m (south direction) with a speed of 3m/s.
Time taken to move south = distance /speed =6/3=2

[Remember that only displacement have negative sign]

Total time =4+2 =6s

Total displacement = 8-6=2m

Average velocity = total displacement /total time

=2/6=1/3=0.3m/s


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