Distance Time Graphs

The following table shows the motion of a student walking into a classroom (the
distance is measured from the door):-

Distance 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 6 6 3 0
(meters)
Time 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(seconds)
Draw a distance time graph (with time on the x-axis) to show the motion.

Answer the questions below:

1. For the 6th to 8th second, what was the student’s movement?
2. How far into the classroom did the student move?
3. Where in the classroom was the student after 10 seconds?
4. Over which period of time did the student move the fastest? Can you explain
how you know this?
5. How far in total did the student walk?
6. What was the average speed of the whole journey?
7. What was the velocity of the student at 9 seconds? (remember velocity has
direction)
8. What was the velocity at 2 seconds?

More difficult

The following table represents a student riding a bicycle:-

Distance 0 4 12 24 40 60 84 84 84 84 72 60 48 36 24 12 0
(meters)
Time 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
(seconds)
Draw a distance time graph (with time on the x-axis) to show the motion.

Answer the questions below:

1. What is the bicycle doing for the first 6 seconds?

2. Describe the motion of the bicycle between 6 and 9 seconds
3. What is the average speed of the bicycle?
4. What is the speed of the bicycle at 3 seconds (hint: think tangents!)
5. How far away from the starting point is the bicycle after 8 seconds
6. What is the bicycle doing between 9-16 seconds?
 Answers!! Distance Time Graphs
Distance 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 6 6 3 0
(meters)
Time 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(seconds)

1. For the 6th to 8th second, what was the student’s movement? Stationary
2. How far into the classroom did the student move? 6meters
3. Where in the classroom was the student after 10 seconds? Back at door
4. Over which period of time did the student move the fastest? Can you explain
how you know this? Between 8 and 10 seconds. Gradient is steepest/
travelled most distance in least time.
5. How far in total did the student walk? 12m
6. What was the average speed of the whole journey? 12m÷10s = 1.2m/s
7. What was the velocity of the student at 9 seconds? (remember velocity has
direction) Gradient = -6÷2 = -3 (negative because it is returning to the start)
8. What was the velocity at 2 seconds? Gradient = 2÷2 = 1m/s
Answers!! More difficult

Distance 0 4 12 24 40 60 84 84 84 84 72 60 48 36 24 12 0
(meters)
Time 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
(seconds)
90
80
70
Distance (meters)

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 5 10 15 20
Time (seconds)

1. What is the bicycle doing for the first 6 seconds? Accelerating

2. Describe the motion of the bicycle between 6 and 9 seconds Stationary
3. What is the average speed of the bicycle? 168m÷16s = 10.5m/s
4. What is the speed of the bicycle at 3 seconds (hint: think tangents!)
Assuming tangent crosses at approx. (2,10) and (5,50) then speed= d÷t
40÷3 = 13.3m/s (allow any number between 12.8 and 13.8, NOT 14.16!)
5. How far away from the starting point is the bicycle after 8 seconds
84m
6. What is the bicycle doing between 9-16 seconds?
Returning to start point with constant velocity/speed