Calculate the School Bus Speed: A Step-by-Step Guide

Understanding the speed at which a school bus travels can be crucial for various reasons, such as planning transportation schedules or ensuring safety. In this article, we will walk through the process of calculating the speed of a school bus that covers a 40 km distance in 75 minutes.

Introduction to Speed Calculation

Speed is a fundamental concept in physics and transportation, representing the rate at which an object covers a certain distance. The formula to calculate speed is straightforward: Speed Distance / Time. However, it is essential to ensure that the units used for distance and time are consistent. In this case, the distance is given in kilometers (km), so the time must be converted to hours (hr) to obtain the speed in kilometers per hour (km/hr).

Given Data

Distance traveled by the school bus: 40 kilometers (km) Time taken to cover the distance: 75 minutes

Step-by-Step Calculation

To calculate the speed, we need to ensure that the time is in hours. This conversion is necessary because our distance is in kilometers, and the standard unit for speed is in kilometers per hour (km/hr).

Converting Time to Hours

Since the time given is in minutes, we convert it to hours using the conversion factor: (frac{1 text{ hour}}{60 text{ minutes}}).

[ t 75 text{ minutes} times frac{1 text{ hour}}{60 text{ minutes}} frac{75}{60} text{ hours} 1.25 text{ hours} ]

Applying the Speed Formula

Now, using the formula Speed Distance / Time, we can calculate the speed of the school bus.

[ V frac{40 text{ km}}{1.25 text{ hours}} ]

To simplify the division:

[ V frac{40}{1.25} 32 text{ km/hr} ]

Therefore, the speed of the school bus is 32 kilometers per hour.

Verification and Alternative Method

For verification, we can use the alternative method to calculate the speed:

[ V frac{40 text{ km}}{75 text{ minutes}} times frac{60 text{ minutes}}{1 text{ hour}} ]

Breaking this down:

[ V frac{40 times 60}{75} text{ km/hr} ]

[ V frac{2400}{75} text{ km/hr} 32 text{ km/hr} ]

This confirms that the speed of the school bus is 32 kilometers per hour.

Conclusion

Understanding and calculating the speed of a school bus is vital for effective transportation planning and management. By converting the given time to hours and using the standard speed formula, we can accurately determine the bus's speed. In this case, the school bus travels at a speed of 32 km/hr over a 40 km distance in 75 minutes.

This knowledge not only helps in planning bus routes and schedules but also plays a significant role in ensuring the safe and efficient transportation of students.