Calculating Distance Traveled by a Motorcycle: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Speed of a Motorcycle is 40 km/h. What Distance Will It Cover in Two and a Quarter Hours?

The question 'The speed of a motorcycle is 40 km/h. What distance will it cover in two and a quarter hours?' can be resolved using the fundamental formula for distance calculation: Distance Speed x Time. Given the speed (40 km/h) and time (2.25 hours), we can calculate the distance covered.

Calculations

Given the speed of the motorcycle as 40 kilometers per hour (km/h) and the time as 2.25 hours (2 hours 15 minutes), we can calculate the distance as follows:

Distance Speed x Time

Substituting the values:

Distance 40 km/h x 2.25 hours

The Calculation

Performing the multiplication:

Distance 40 x 2.25 90 km

Therefore, the motorcycle will cover a distance of 90 kilometers in two and a quarter hours.

Common Misconceptions and Clarifications

There are a few common misconceptions and clarifications worth highlighting when calculating distance traveled by a motorcycle at a constant speed:

No More Than 5 km

Some argue that the motorcycle can travel no more than 5 kilometers because someone might report the driver to the authorities for holding up traffic by traveling too slowly. However, this is a subjective viewpoint and not based on any legal or practical constraints related to the speed and travel time.

Logical Distance Calculation

Another logical approach suggests that since 1/4 of an hour is 15 minutes, the distance can be broken into two parts. Starting with 40 kilometers in the first hour, and then adding 10 kilometers (which is 1/4 of 40 km) for the next quarter hour. Thus, the total distance would be:

40 km 10 km 50 km

However, this calculation assumes a constant speed from the start, which might be unrealistic for a real-world scenario where the initial acceleration time is typically greater than just a few seconds.

Breakdown and Understanding

1. **First Hour**: 40 km 2. **Quarter Hour**: 40 km/h divided by 4 (15 minutes) 10 km 3. **Total Distance**: 40 km 10 km 50 km

Conclusion

In a practical scenario, using the formula Distance Speed x Time, the motorcycle will cover 90 kilometers in two and a quarter hours. Understanding the formula and the practical aspects of speed and time ensures accurate calculation and real-world applicability.