How to find the ratio of a fraction - PSAT Math

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Question

Marty drove 40 mi/hr for 3 hours, then 60 mi/hr for 1 hour, and finally 70 mi/hr for the last 2 hours. What was Marty's average speed?

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Answer

Marty's total driving time was 3 + 1 + 2 = 6 hours. He drove 40 mi/hr for 3 hours, or 3/6 = 1/2 of the time. He drove 60 mi/hr for 1 hour, or 1/6 of the drive. Lastly, he drove 70 mi/hr for 2 hours, or 2/6 = 1/3 of the drive.

To find the average speed, we need to multiply the speeds with their corresponding weights and add them up.

Average = 1/2 * 40 + 1/6 * 60 + 1/3 * 70 = 53.33... ≈ 53 mi/hr

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