Average Velocity and Average Speed

Average velocity is defined as the ratio of displacement divided by the corresponding time interval.

    (1.1)

whereas average speed is just the total distance divided by the time interval,

  (1.2)

Note that the v, t graph is the slope of the x, t graph.

FIGURE 1.1 Position - time and Velocity - time graphs for (A) object standing still and (B) object moving at constant speed.