CIE IGCSE Maths: Extended

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IGCSE Maths: Extended CIE Revision Notes Coordinate Geometry & Graphs
Real-Life Graphs Distance-Time & Speed-Time Graphs

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First teaching 2023
First exams 2025

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Distance-Time & Speed-Time

Graphs
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Distance-Time Graphs
How does a distance-time graph work?
Distance-time graphs show distance from a fixed point at di!erent times
Distance is on the vertical axis, and time is on the horizontal axis.
The gradient of the graph is the speed
distance rise
speed = =
time run
A positive gradient represents the object (or person) moving away from the
starting point
If the graph is a horizontal line the object is stationary (not moving)
A negative gradient represents the object (or person) moving towards the
starting point
If the graph is a straight line the speed is constant
If the graph is a curve you can draw the tangent at a point on the graph and find its
gradient
This will be an estimate of the speed at that point

Exam Tip
It is easy to get confused between di!erent types of graph.
Look at the label on the vertical axis to make sure you are looking at a
DISTANCE-time graph (not speed-time)

Worked example
One afternoon Mary cycled to her grandparents' house, 8 km from her own home.

Part of her travel graph for her journey is shown below.

Mary stayed at her grandparents' house for half an hour.

She then cycled home at a steady speed, without stopping, arriving home at 4 pm.

a) Complete the travel graph for Mary's journey.

Begin by checking the scale on the time axis. Note that one square is 15 minutes.

Mary stays at her grandparents' house for 30 minutes, so draw a horizontal line
for 2 squares to show this.

Her cycle home is represented by a straight line (steady speed) drawn from the
end of her stay to 4pm on the time axis (where the distance from home is zero).

b) For how long did Mary stop on the way to her grandparents' house?

Mary's stop on the way is the short horizontal line from 1.30 pm to 1.45 pm. The
horizontal line is one square long so represents 15 minutes.

Mary stopped for 15 minutes.

c) What is Mary's speed between 1.45 pm and 2.45 pm?

Speed can be found on a distance-time graph by finding the gradient of the line
at that point.

6 km/h

07:15

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Speed-Time Graphs
What is a speed-time graph?
Speed-time graphs show speed at di!erent times
Speed is on the vertical axis, and time is on the horizontal axis
The gradient of the graph is the acceleration

If the graph is a curve you can draw the tangent at a point on the graph and find its
gradient
This will be an estimate of the acceleration at that point

A positive gradient shows positive acceleration (speeding up)

A horizontal line on a speed-time graph shows constant speed (no acceleration)
A negative gradient shows negative acceleration, or deceleration (slowing down)

The distance covered can be found by finding the area under the graph

Exam Tip
It is easy to get confused between di!erent types of graph.
Look at the label on the vertical axis to make sure you are looking at a SPEED-
time graph (not distance-time)

Worked example
The speed-time graph for a car travelling between two sets of tra#c lights is shown
below.

a) Calculate the acceleration in the first 6 seconds.

In a speed-time graph the acceleration is the gradient of the graph.

Acceleration = 1.5 m/s2

b) Work out the distance covered by the car.

In a speed-time graph the distance travelled is equal to the area under the
graph.

The graph is a trapezium so use the formula .

Distance travelled = 130.5 m

Test yourself Next topic

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Number

Algebra & Sequences

Coordinate Geometry & Graphs

Coordinate Geometry

Linear Graphs

Quadratic Graphs

Further Graphs & Tangents

Solving & Graphing Inequalities

Real-Life Graphs

Conversion Graphs

Distance-Time & Speed-Time Graphs

Rates of Change of Graphs

Di"erentiation

Geometry

Lengths, Areas & Volumes

Pythagoras & Trigonometry

Vectors & Transformations

Probability

Statistics

Author: Amber
Amber gained a first class degree in Mathematics & Meteorology from
the University of Reading before training to become a teacher. She is
passionate about teaching, having spent 8 years teaching GCSE and A
Level Mathematics both in the UK and internationally. Amber loves
creating bright and informative resources to help students reach their
potential.

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