Speed, Velocity, and Acceleration Formulas

Ever wondered how fast you're really going? Understanding speed and acceleration starts with four key formulas that make calculating motion super easy.

First, remember that speed = distance ÷ time. If you need to find distance instead, just flip it around: distance = speed × time. For time calculations, use time = distance ÷ speed. When objects change speed, we measure acceleration = (final velocity - initial velocity) ÷ time.

Let's see these formulas in action! A car traveling 100 miles in 2 hours has a speed of 50 mph $100 ÷ 2 = 50$. If a skateboarder moves 2 miles at 10 mph, it takes them 0.2 hours $2 ÷ 10 = 0.2$. A runner moving at 30 kilometers per hour for 2 hours covers 60 kilometers $30 × 2 = 60$.

Quick Tip: Negative acceleration means slowing down! When a car goes from 80 mph to 40 mph in 2 minutes, the acceleration is -20 mph/min, showing the car is decelerating.