Yoki is running a 10-mile race. She runs at a steady speed and then slows down, stops to get a drink of water, and then runs fast to get back in the race. Which graph best represents the situation?

A graph with time on the x-axis and speed on the y-axis. The graph is constant, decreases, is constant, and then increases.
A graph with time on the x-axis and speed on the y-axis. The graph increases, is constant, decreases, and then increases.
A graph with time on the x-axis and speed on the y-axis. The graph increases, decreases, is constant at a speed of 0, and then steadily increases.
A graph with time on the x-axis and speed on the y-axis. The graph is constant, decreases to 0, is constant at a speed of 0, and then increases.

1 answer

To analyze Yoki's situation during the 10-mile race:

  1. She starts running at a steady speed – this part of the graph would be a horizontal line above the x-axis.
  2. Then, she slows down – this would be a downward slope on the graph.
  3. Next, she stops to get a drink – the graph would show a flat line at speed 0 for a period of time.
  4. Finally, she runs fast to catch up – this would be an upward slope on the graph.

Based on this breakdown, the graph that best represents her situation would be:

A graph with time on the x-axis and speed on the y-axis. The graph increases (steady speed), decreases (slowing down), is constant at a speed of 0 (stopping for a drink), and then steadily increases (running fast again).

This aligns with your description of the phases in her run, indicating that the correct graph is:

A graph with time on the x-axis and speed on the y-axis. The graph increases, decreases, is constant at a speed of 0, and then steadily increases.