An African elephant can run 15 mph. Write an equation using two variables to show the relationship between the how many hours the elephant runs, r, and the distance the elephant ran, d.
The formula for distance is:
distance = rate × time
Let's use d for distance and r for the rate (or speed in this case) of the elephant.
So, the equation for the distance the elephant runs, d, based on how many hours the elephant runs, r, would be:
d = 15 r
This equation shows that the distance d is directly proportional to the time, with the constant of proportionality being the elephant's rate of 15 mph.