To choose the correct graph that represents William's swimming situation, let's break down the scenario:
- Swimming at a steady speed: This will be represented by a constant horizontal line.
- Slows down: This means the line will decrease from the constant speed to a lower speed.
- Stops to eat: This is represented by the line dropping to zero (speed = 0).
- Swims faster to get back in the race: This means the line will increase from 0 to a higher speed.
- Returns to a steady speed: After swimming faster, the line will level off again at a constant higher speed.
- Stops for water: Again, this will likely drop to zero (speed = 0).
- Swims faster to get back in the race: Similar to before, the line increases from zero back to a higher speed.
Given these steps:
- The graph should begin with a constant speed, then decrease to zero for a stop, followed by an increase as he swims faster, then possibly another constant speed, and finally another dip to zero, followed by another increase.
Considering the options, the graph that best captures this sequence is:
A graph with time on the x-axis and speed on the y-axis. The graph is constant, decreases to 0, increases, is constant, decreases to 0, and then increases.
This describes a scenario where William consistently swims at a speed, slows down to take breaks, and swims faster to regain his pace.