Speed Calculator

About Speed Calculation

Speed is a measure of how quickly an object moves from one place to another. It is calculated by dividing the distance traveled by the time taken to travel that distance. The basic formula is:

Speed = Distance ÷ Time

Understanding the Units

Speed can be measured in various units depending on the system of measurement and the context:

• Kilometers per hour (km/h or kph): Common in most countries for road speeds and automotive speedometers.
• Miles per hour (mph): Primarily used in the United States and United Kingdom.
• Meters per second (m/s): Scientific unit for speed, often used in physics.
• Feet per second (ft/s): Used in some engineering applications in the US.
• Knots (kn): Nautical miles per hour, used in maritime and aviation contexts.

Practical Applications

Speed calculations are essential in many real-world situations:

• Travel Planning: Estimate arrival times based on distance and average speed.
• Sports: Measure athlete performance in running, cycling, swimming, etc.
• Physics Experiments: Calculate velocities in scientific experiments.
• Transportation: Determine safe speeds for vehicles based on road conditions.
• Navigation: Calculate speeds for boats and aircraft.

Conversion Formulas

Here are the key conversion formulas between common speed units:

• 1 mph = 1.609344 kph
• 1 kph = 0.621371 mph
• 1 m/s = 3.6 kph
• 1 ft/s = 0.681818 mph
• 1 knot = 1.15078 mph

Example Calculations

Example 1: If you drive 150 miles in 2.5 hours, your average speed is 150 ÷ 2.5 = 60 mph (96.56 kph).

Example 2: A runner completes a 10km race in 45 minutes (0.75 hours). Their average speed is 10 ÷ 0.75 ≈ 13.33 kph (8.28 mph).

Example 3: A plane travels 500 nautical miles in 2 hours. Its speed is 500 ÷ 2 = 250 knots (287.7 mph or 463 kph).