The fastest lion ever recorded ran approximately 402 meters in 18 seconds. Which expression shows how to correctly determine the speed in meters per second? 1) 402 meters ÷ 18 seconds 2) 18 seconds ÷ 402 meters 3) 402 seconds ÷ 18 meters 4) 18 meters ÷ 402 seconds
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct expression to determine the speed of the lion in meters per second is:
1) 402 meters ÷ 18 seconds
Explanation:
To calculate speed, the general formula is:
[
\text{Speed} = \frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Time}}
]
In this case, the problem provides the following information:
- Distance: The lion ran 402 meters.
- Time: The lion took 18 seconds to cover that distance.
The formula for speed is essentially the distance traveled divided by the time it took to travel that distance. Therefore, to find the speed of the lion, we divide the distance (402 meters) by the time (18 seconds):
[
\text{Speed} = \frac{402 \, \text{meters}}{18 \, \text{seconds}}
]
This results in the speed being measured in meters per second (m/s).
Why the other options are incorrect:
- Option 2 (18 seconds ÷ 402 meters): This expression would give the time per meter the lion takes, not the speed. It would measure the time it takes to travel 1 meter, which is not the speed of the lion.
- Option 3 (402 seconds ÷ 18 meters): This expression is incorrect because it flips the units. The formula should divide the distance by the time, not the other way around. Also, the time and distance values are given in seconds and meters, respectively, so dividing in this way would lead to nonsensical units.
- Option 4 (18 meters ÷ 402 seconds): This option is incorrect because the values are reversed, and it implies a very small value (as though the lion only covered 18 meters in 402 seconds), which contradicts the problem statement.
Thus, the correct formula to determine the speed is 402 meters ÷ 18 seconds, which results in the lion’s speed in meters per second.