Niko took a fitness test and was able to complete 78 sit-ups in 2 minutes. What is his unit rate of sit-ups per minute?
The correct answer and explanation is:
To calculate the unit rate of sit-ups per minute, divide the total number of sit-ups by the total time in minutes.
Niko completed 78 sit-ups in 2 minutes. To find the number of sit-ups he did in one minute, divide 78 by 2: Unit rate=78 sit-ups2 minutes=39 sit-ups per minute.\text{Unit rate} = \frac{78 \text{ sit-ups}}{2 \text{ minutes}} = 39 \text{ sit-ups per minute}.
Thus, Niko’s unit rate is 39 sit-ups per minute.
This unit rate provides an easy way to understand how many sit-ups Niko can complete in one minute, allowing for comparisons to others or to track his progress over time. The concept of unit rates is helpful in various scenarios, such as determining speed, efficiency, or productivity. In this case, the unit rate tells us how many sit-ups Niko can do in a single minute, which is a useful measure of his fitness level. To further assess his fitness, this rate could be compared to standard fitness benchmarks or tracked over time to see if Niko’s performance improves with more training or conditioning.
In general, unit rates allow you to compare quantities with different units by standardizing the information to one unit. For example, in other contexts, you might calculate miles per hour, cost per item, or items per minute, all of which are examples of unit rates that simplify comparison and decision-making. In this case, Niko’s unit rate of 39 sit-ups per minute reflects his current ability and could help him set future goals.