Question

what is the difference between instantaneous and average velocity

Answer 1

Instantaneous velocity is the velocity at a particular point in time. Average is the overall velocity.

Answer 2

you can think of instantaneous velocity as the speed on your speedometer as you are driving, the real time speed of your car

Answer 3

average speed is the speed if you divide total distance over total time

Answer 4

Average velocity for motion that takes place during a time period is the ratio of the distance traveled to the amount of time it took to travel.
Instantaneous velocity is the same ratio, but you let the amount of time approach zero.

Answer 5

@perl 's explanation above is great.

Answer 6

lets say it takes you 2 hours to drive from hartford,CT to new york city, NY. and you know the distance is 118 miles. then the average velocity is 118 / 2 which is about 59 miles per hour.

Answer 7

but that doesnt tell you the instantaneous velocity (you were not driving 59 mph the entire trip, you have to slow down at tolls , and pick up speed)