A truck driver drove 48 miles in 45 minutes. At this rate, how many miles can the truck driver drive in one hour?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To find out how many miles the truck driver can drive in one hour, we begin by calculating the rate of speed.
The driver covered 48 miles in 45 minutes.
First, convert 45 minutes to hours:
45 minutes = 45 ÷ 60 = 0.75 hours
Now, calculate the speed in miles per hour (mph):
Speed = Distance ÷ Time = 48 miles ÷ 0.75 hours = 64 miles per hour
So, in one hour, the truck driver can drive 64 miles.
Explanation
Understanding how to calculate rates is an essential part of solving real-world problems involving time, distance, and speed. In this problem, we are given the distance the truck driver traveled and the time it took, but we are asked to find how far the truck driver could go in a different amount of time—specifically, one hour.
The first step is to determine the rate at which the driver is traveling. This rate is commonly measured in miles per hour (mph), so we must express the time in hours. Since 60 minutes equals one hour, we divide 45 by 60, giving us 0.75 hours. This tells us that the driver took three-quarters of an hour to travel 48 miles.
Next, we calculate the rate of travel by dividing the distance by the time. Dividing 48 miles by 0.75 hours gives us 64 miles per hour. This tells us that for every full hour the truck driver is on the road, he would cover 64 miles, assuming he continues at the same constant rate.
Finally, the question asks how many miles the truck driver can go in one hour at this same rate. Since the speed is 64 miles per hour, the answer is simply 64 miles.
This approach illustrates how to convert units appropriately and use proportional reasoning to extend or scale up a known rate to a different time interval. It is a useful skill in many situations such as travel planning or fuel estimation.
