two students ran 1 mile at 6mph and on return they averaged 4mph. What is their average speed? I believe the answer is 5mph but i would like someone to double check it for me

Question

two students ran 1 mile at 6mph and on return they averaged 4mph.  What is their average speed?  I believe the answer is 5mph but i would like someone to double check it for me

anonymous · Answer

Average = (Speed1 + Speed2)/ (Total# of speeds)

lgbasallote · Answer

this question is a little ambiguous...average of the two students? or the average of their round trip?

anonymous · Answer

average of the round trip

lgbasallote · Answer

"on return they averaged 4 mph" <--what average?

anonymous · Answer

they went 4mph back to the starting position

lgbasallote · Answer

oh i see..

so they traveled 1 mile at 6 mph so they traveled 1 mile in 0.666 hours

they traveled back 1 mile at 4 mph so they traveled 1 mile in 0.25 hours

i used the formula time = distance/speed

now average speed is total distance over total time

so it's $$\huge \frac{1+1}{0.66 + 0.25}$$
got it?

anonymous · Answer

Im not sure thats the correct answer

lgbasallote · Answer

well im doing it based on how you explained it to me haha lol