Can someone please help me? I can't figure out the answer. A motorist takes a trip of 100 miles, traveling at 40 mph for the first 50 miles and 60 mph for the last 50 miles. What is the average speed in mph for the trip?

40 + 60 = 100

100/2 = ?

Certainly! To find the average speed for the trip, you need to calculate the total distance traveled divided by the total time taken.

In this case, the motorist travels a total distance of 100 miles. To calculate the total time taken, you need to find the time taken for each segment of the trip.

For the first 50 miles traveled at 40 mph, you can use the formula: time = distance / speed. So, the time taken for the first 50 miles is 50 miles / 40 mph = 1.25 hours.

Similarly, for the last 50 miles traveled at 60 mph, the time taken is 50 miles / 60 mph = 0.83 hours.

Now, to find the total time taken, you add the times taken for each segment: 1.25 hours + 0.83 hours = 2.08 hours.

Finally, to calculate the average speed, divide the total distance (100 miles) by the total time taken (2.08 hours):

Average speed = 100 miles / 2.08 hours ≈ 48.08 mph.

Therefore, the average speed for the trip is approximately 48.08 mph.