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Formula For Speed

Here we will learn about the formula for speed including understanding and using the terms constant speed and average speed. We will also be calculating the average speed of an object given its distance and time. This will extend to using and applying the speed formula and solving problems involving the formula for speed.

There are also worksheets on the formula for speed distance and time based on Edexcel, AQA and OCR exam questions, along with further guidance on where to go next if you’re still stuck.

What is the formula for speed?

The formula for speed is given by

Speed \textbf{=} distance \textbf{÷} time

“Speed equals distance divided by time”

Formula For Speed Image 1

You will normally shorten this to the below:

Formula For Speed Image 2

The speed of an object is travelling at is related to the distance it is covering in relation to how long it was travelling for (time).

What is the formula for speed?

What is the formula for speed?

What is speed?

Speed is about how fast an object moves. The speed of the moving object is found by calculating the relationship between the distance the object travels and the period of time taken to travel the distance.

Some examples of the units of speed are:

  • Metres per second (m/s)
  • Miles per hour (mph)
  • Km per hour (km/h)
  • Speed of sound 343 metres per second
  • Speed of light 299 \ 792 \ 458 metres per second

Constant speed is where the speed does not change, e.g. a straight line on a distance-time graph indicates a constant speed.

We can calculate the average speed of an object by dividing the total distance by the total time.

If you also consider the direction of the movement as well at its speed then this is called the object’s velocity.

What is time?

Time can be defined as the ongoing sequence of events taking place.

Some examples of the units of time are:

  • Seconds (sec)
  • Minutes (mins)
  • Hours (hrs)
  • Days

Note: The SI unit (Standard Unit Measurement) for time is a second.

What is distance?

Distance is the length of space between two points.

Some examples of the units of distance are:

  • Millimetres (mm)
  • Centimetres (cm)
  • Metres (m)
  • Kilometres (km)
  • Miles

Note: if we only consider how far the object has moved in regards to its starting point this is called displacement.

Rate of change

The speed of an object is the rate of change between the distance covered and the amount of time taken. When working with graphs the rate of change can be found by calculating the gradient of the distance-time graph.

This page focused specifically on speed. If you want to focus on speed, distance, time please follow the link below.

Step-by-step guide: Speed distance time (coming soon)

How to use the formula for speed

In order to use the formula for speed:

  1. Write down which variable you know with their units.
  2. Check the units align, do any need to be converted?
  3. Write down the formula for speed.
  4. Solve to find speed (or distance or time).
  5. Clearly state your answer with the correct units.

Explain how to use the formula for speed

Explain how to use the formula for speed

Speed distance time worksheet

Speed distance time worksheet

Speed distance time worksheet

Get your free speed distance time worksheet of 20+ questions and answers. Includes reasoning and applied questions.

DOWNLOAD FREE
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Speed distance time worksheet

Speed distance time worksheet

Speed distance time worksheet

Get your free speed distance time worksheet of 20+ questions and answers. Includes reasoning and applied questions.

DOWNLOAD FREE

Related lessons on compound measures

Formula for speed is part of our series of lessons to support revision on compound measures. You may find it helpful to start with the main compound measures lesson for a summary of what to expect, or use the step by step guides below for further detail on individual topics. Other lessons in this series include:

Formula for speed examples

Example 1: calculating speed by substituting values into the speed formula

Question: A car travels at a constant speed. The train travels 100 \ miles in 2 \ hours.

Give your answer in miles per hour (mph)

  1. Write down which variable you know with their units.

Speed: unknown

Distance: 100 \ miles

Time: 2 \ hours

2Check the units align, do any need to be converted?

Units are correct as the questions’ units are already in miles and hours.

3Write down the formula for speed.

\text{Speed } = \text{ distance } \div \text{ time}

4Solve to find speed (or distance or time).

We are finding the speed.

\begin{aligned} \text{Speed} &= \text{distance}\div \text{time} \\\\ \text{Speed} &= 100\ \text{miles}\div 2\ \text{hours} \\\\ \text{Speed} &= 50\ \text{miles per hour} \ \text{(mph)} \end{aligned}

5Clearly state your answer with the correct units.

The car travels at 50 \ miles \ per \ hour \ (mph)

Example 2: calculating speed by substituting values into the speed formula

Question: A train travels at a constant speed. The train travels a total distance of 450 \ km in a period of time of 4 \ hours.

Give your answer in kilometre per hour (km/h)

Write down which variable you know with their units.

Check the units align, do any need to be converted?

Write down the formula for speed.

Solve to find speed (or distance or time).

Clearly state your answer with the correct units.

Example 3: calculating speed by substituting values into the speed formula with unit conversion

Question: A person walks at a constant speed. They travel 600 \ m in 0.25 \ hours.

Give your answer in metres per minute (m/min)

Write down which variable you know with their units.

Check the units align, do any need to be converted?

Write down the formula for speed.

Solve to find speed (or distance or time).

Clearly state your answer with the correct units.

Example 4: using speed to find another value

Question: Phil is in a running race. Phil runs at an average speed of 5 \ m/s.

The race is 21 \ km long.

What is the amount of time Phil takes to finish the race?

Give your answer in hours and minutes.

Write down which variable you know with their units.

Check the units align, do any need to be converted?

Write down the formula for speed.

Solve to find speed (or distance or time).

Clearly state your answer with the correct units.

Example 5: using speed to find another value

Question: A train travels at 120 \ km/h for 3\frac{1}{4} \ hours. Calculate the total distance travelled.

Write down which variable you know with their units.

Check the units align, do any need to be converted?

Write down the formula for speed.

Solve to find speed (or distance or time).

Clearly state your answer with the correct units.

Example 6: problem involving speed

Miss Yellow completes a journey in 3 stages.

In the first stage she travels at 33.75 \ km in 45 \ minutes.

In the second stage she travels 258 \ km in 4 \ hours and 18 \ minutes.

The final stage is much shorter and she travels 1200 \ m in 90 \ seconds.

What was her average speed for the whole journey?

Give your answer in km/min to 3 significant figures. 

Write down which variable you know with their units.

Check the units align, do any need to be converted?

Write down the formula for speed.

Solve to find speed (or distance or time).

Clearly state your answer with the correct units.

Common misconceptions

  • Incorrect formula for speed

You must remember the speed formula with the correct operations between distance and time.

\text{Speed } = \text{ distance } \div \text{ time}

  • Units

You must remember the relationship between the units is important for the context of the question. If you are given an object’s speed in km per hour and the time as minutes you need to first convert one of the units to be able to give an answer in hours.

E.g. km/h \div minutes does not give you km

  • Check if you answer is ‘sensible’

If you have found the speed of a car is 300 \ mph you have most likely made an error as this answer is not ‘sensible’ within the context of the question as it is too high speed for a car. This is a useful (and quick) way of checking your answer.

Practice formula for speed questions

1. Find the speed of an object which travelled 240 \ km in 3 \ hours. Give your answer in km/h

720 \ km/h
GCSE Quiz False

80 \ km/h
GCSE Quiz True

0.0125 \ km/h
GCSE Quiz False

80000 \ m/hour
GCSE Quiz False
\begin{aligned} \text{Speed } &= \text{ distance } \div \text{ time} \\\\ \text { Speed }&=240 \mathrm{~km} \div 3 \text { hours } \\\\ \text { Speed }&=80 \mathrm{~km} / \mathrm{h} \end{aligned}

2. Find the speed of an object which travelled 500 \ m in 5 \ hours. Give your answer in m/h

100 \ m/h
GCSE Quiz True

2500 \ m/h
GCSE Quiz False

0.01 \ m/h
GCSE Quiz False

0.1 \ km/h
GCSE Quiz False
\begin{aligned} \text{Speed } &= \text{ distance } \div \text{ time} \\\\ \text { Speed }&=500 \ \mathrm{m} \div 5 \text { hours } \\\\ \text { Speed }&=100 \ \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{h} \end{aligned}

3. Find the speed of an object which travelled 1200 \ m in 3 \ hours. Give your answer in km/h

400 \ m/h
GCSE Quiz False

2500 \ m/h
GCSE Quiz False

0.4 \ km/h
GCSE Quiz True

2.5 \ km/h
GCSE Quiz False
1200 \ m=1.2 \ km

 

\text{Speed } = \text{ distance } \div \text{ time}

 

\begin{aligned} \text { Speed }&=1.2 \ \mathrm{km} \div 3 \text { hours } \\\\ \text { Speed }&=0.4 \ \mathrm{km} / \mathrm{h} \end{aligned}

4. A person walks at a constant speed. They travel 900 \ m in 0.5 \ hours. Calculate the speed. Give your answer in metres per minute (m/min)

30 \ m/h
GCSE Quiz False

1.8 \ m/min
GCSE Quiz False

1800 \ m/min
GCSE Quiz False

30 \ m/min
GCSE Quiz True
\begin{aligned} 0.5 \text { hours }&=30 \text { minutes } \\\\ \text { Speed }&=\text { distance } \div \text { time } \\\\ \text { Speed }&=900 \ m \div 30 \text { minutes } \\\\ \text { Speed }&=30 \ \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{min} \end{aligned}

5. A person walks at a constant speed of 3 miles per hour. They walk for 90 \ minutes. Calculate how far they walk.

270 \ miles
GCSE Quiz False

4.5 \ miles
GCSE Quiz True

9 \ miles
GCSE Quiz False

45 \ miles
GCSE Quiz False
90 \ minutes = 1.5 \ hours

 

\begin{aligned} \text {Distance }&=\text {speed} \times \text {time} \\\\ \text {Distance }&=3 \times 1.5 \\\\ \text {Distance }&=4.5 \ \text{miles} \end{aligned}

6. An object travels 1800 \ m at a speed of 6m/s. Calculate the time taken. Give you anwer in minutes.

300 \ minutes
GCSE Quiz False

50 \ minutes
GCSE Quiz False

3 \ minutes
GCSE Quiz False

5 \ minutes
GCSE Quiz True
\begin{aligned} \text {Time}&=\text {distance} \div \text {speed} \\\\ \text {Time}&=1800 \ \mathrm{m} \div 6 \text { m/s } \\\\ \text {Time}&=300 \ \mathrm{sec} \end{aligned}

 

300 \ seconds   is  5 \ minutes

Formula for speed GCSE questions

1. Emily drives her car 186 \ kilometres in 3 \ hours. What is her average speed?

 

(2 marks)

Show answer
186 \div 3

(1)

62

(1)

2. Jenny left her home at 9am and walked to the library. She arrived at 10:30am. The library is 3 \ miles from her house.

 

(a) What was Jenny’s average speed?

 

(b) On the return journey she takes a longer route home which is 2 \ miles longer than before. She takes 2 \ hours to walk home.

On which journey was Jenny walking faster?

You must show your workings.

 

(5 marks)

Show answer

(a)

 

1.5

(1)

3 \div 1.5

(1)

2

(1)

 

(b)

 

2.5 \ mph

(1)

Faster walking to the library

(1)

3. Seobin was driving to a hotel.

He looked at his Sat Nav at 12:30, it said he had 66 \ km left for his journey.

Seobin arrived at the hotel at 15:48

Work out his average speed between 12:30 and 15:48

 

(4 marks)

Show answer

Attempt to find the time taken for the journey

(1)

3 \ hours \ 18 \ minutes   or  3.3 \ hours

(1)

66 \div “3.3”

(1)

20

(1)

Learning checklist

You have now learned how to:

  • Use compound units such as speed
  • Solve simple kinematic problem involving distance and speed
  • Change freely between related standard units (eg time, length) and  compound units (e.g. speed) in numerical contexts
  • Work with compound units in a numerical context

The next lessons are

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