Read Speed: Total Distance Over Total Time
Average speed is based on the complete journey—not the simple average of two displayed speeds unless the times are equal.
Motion and force questions become simpler when direction, starting condition, time and the acting forces are marked first.
Use the path and the clock together
Mark start, direction and time before reading the graph
Mark a start, direction and time interval first. On a graph, the slope tells how the quantity changes; on a path, distance and displacement may differ.
Build the total first
add all distances and all times before dividing.
Use consistent units
Keep km with h or m with s throughout. A train running from 5 pm to midnight travels for 7 hours, not 5 hours.
OlympIQ exam lens
- ✓Find each leg’s time.
- ✓Add total distance and total time.
- ✓Convert units before a final division.
For equal distances at two different speeds, the average is not their arithmetic mean; the slower leg occupies more time.
Ready to try the pattern?
100% coverage across the 2 linked questions.
Practise 2 linked questions