The first quarter of the way, the car travels at a speed of 40 km / h, and the rest of the way is 40 km / h.
The first quarter of the way, the car travels at a speed of 40 km / h, and the rest of the way is 40 km / h. Find the average vehicle speed.
V1 = 40 km / h.
V2 = 60 km / h.
S1 = S / 4.
Vav -?
To find the average vehicle speed Vav, it is necessary to divide the entire path S it has traveled by the time of its passage: Vav = S / t.
The travel time of the entire path is expressed by the sum: t = t1 + t2, where t1 is the time of movement on the first half of the path, t2 is the time of movement on the second half of the path.
t1 = S1 / V1 = S / 4 * V1.
Since the first part of the path S1 is S1 = S / 4, then the second part of the path is S2 = S – S1 = S – S / 4 = 3 * S / 4.
t2 = S2 / V2 = 3 * S / 4 * V2.
t = S / 4 * V1 + 3 * S / 4 * V2 = (S * V2 + 3 * S * V1) / 4 * V1 * V2 = S * (V2 + 3 * V1) / 4 * V1 * V2.
Vav = S * 4 * V1 * V2 / S * (V2 + 3 * V1) = 4 * V1 * V2 / (V2 + 3 * V1).
Vav = 4 * 40 km / h * 60 km / h / (60 km / h + 3 * 40 km / h) = 53.3 km / h.
Answer: the average vehicle speed is Vav = 53.3 km / h.