DISTANCE-TIME GRAPHS

The steepness of a distance-time graph represents the speed.

A horizontal line shows that

the speed is zero.

distance The steeper the line is,

the greater the speed.

A straight line shows that the

speed is constant (steady).
time

distance travelled
speed 
time taken
Example

distance from
1 150
home (km)
100

50
75
0 time (t hours)
0 1 1 2 3 4 5
The distance-time graph shows the journey of a car.

a Calculate the speed of the car during the first hour of the journey.
distance
speed 
time
75

1
 75 km/h
Example

distance from
150
home (km)
100 50
1.5
50

0 time (t hours)
0 1 2 3 4 5
The distance-time graph shows the journey of a car.

b Calculate the speed of the car between t = 1.5 and t = 3.

distance
speed 
time
50

1.5
 33 31 km/h
Example

distance from
150
home (km)
100

125
50

2
0 time (t hours)
0 1 2 3 4 5
The distance-time graph shows the journey of a car.

c Calculate the speed of the car between t = 3 and t = 5.

distance
speed 
time
125

2
 62.5 km/h
Example

distance from
150
home (km)
100

50

0 time (t hours)
0 1 2 3 4 5
The distance-time graph shows the journey of a car.

d Calculate the average speed for the whole journey.

total distance travelled
average speed 
total time taken
125  125

5
 50 km/h
Example

distance from
150
home (km)
100

50

0 time (t hours)
0 1 2 3 4 5
The distance-time graph shows the journey of a car.

e Explain what is happening between t = 1 and t = 1.5.

The line is horizontal which means that the speed is zero.

So the car is stationary (i.e. not moving).