Speed Formula

Speed Formula

The speed formula is used to calculate the speed means to calculate how fast someone or something is travelling. 

• Speed can be measured as the distance an object travels in a given period

• Speed is a scalar quantity as it defines only the magnitude, not the direction of the object

• To calculate the average speed of an object if you know the time and distance travelled

• The SI unit of speed is m/s

• The formula for speed is speed = distance/time

• In some cases, the formula can be used as 

When speed and time are given, then the formula can be applied as 

distance = speed * time or d = s * t

When speed and distance are given, then the formula can be applied as 

time = distance/speed or t = d/s

• Example of Speed Formula

1. A person runs 360 m in 60 seconds. Calculate his speed?

Speed = distance / time

= 360/60

= 6 m/s

Speed is measured in meters per second(m/s) or kilometers per hour (km/h)

 1 km = 1000 m and 1 hr = 3600 seconds

Conversion method = 1 m/s x 1km/1000 m x 3600 sec/1 hr

= 3600 m .km.s / 1000 s.m.hr = 3.6 km/1 hr

1 m/s = 3.6km/hr

Q. What is 20 m/s in km/h?

20 m/s X 3.6km/hr / 1m/s  = 72 km/hr.

Q. What is 120 km/hr in m/s?

120 km/hr X 1 m/s / 3.6 km/hr = 33.3 m/s

Q. A man covers 15 miles in 2 hours. Calculate his speed?

Speed = distance/time 

= 15/2 

= 7.5 miles per hour