Since people usually refer to velocity as being distance over time, it would be a lot easier to calculate the average velocities as simply x1/t1 , x2/t2, x3/t3 etc. Is this an equivalent method for finding the velocities at the different times? Give reasons for your answer.

Question

anonymous · Answer

Let's say that you drive 1 hour at 40 km/h and then 1 hour at 60 km/h, then you would have travelled a 100 km in 2 hours making the average speed 50 km/h. Would you be able to find out that he drove 60 km/h the last part if you didn't know that he drove at 40 km/h the first part?

kenljw · Answer

Velocity has magnitude and direction and it's a instantaneous quantity
What you refer to as average velocity is actually speed