Bombay Cambridge Gurukul

Time, Distance and Speed

MATHEMATICS
STANDARD : VII

Contents
Time, distance and speed concept
Units of Measurement
Conversion
Important formulae
Calculate distance using formula
Calculate time using formula
Calculate speed using formula
Word Problems
Train goes past a pole
Time, distance and speed in daily life
Check It Out

Time, Distance & SpeedConcept

Home

Tree

In the picture above the girl is going

really fast. She catches up and passes
the boy.
Can you say who is slower?
The boy is slower than the girl. Can
you say why is the boy slower than
the girl?
The boy is slower than the girl
because the boy
takes more time to cover the same
(Contd)
distance.

We can also say that the speed of boy

is less than that of the girl.

When a person covers a given

distance in a given time then the
person is said to be in motion and the
rate with which he/she moves is
called speed.

BACK

Units of Measurement
The units of measurement of distance are
km, m, cm etc.
The units of measurement of time are hour (hr),
minute (min), second (sec).
The units of measurement of speed are
km/hr and m/sec, cm/sec etc.
NOTE: The units of time and distance determine
the unit of measurement of speed.
BACK

Conversion
1000 m = 1 km
1 km
1m =
1000
1 hr = 60 min
1 min = 60 sec

1 hr = 60 60 sec
1 sec =

60 60 hr

(Contd)

1) Changing the speed given in km/hr into m/sec.

e.g. 90km/hr = 90 x
5
10
= 90 x

5
1000 m
60 x 60 sec
3
5m
18 sec
2
1

90 km/hr = 25 m/sec
(Contd)

2) Changing the speed given in m/sec into km/hr.

50 km
e.g. 50m/sec =
1000

1
hr
60 x 60

50 x 60 x 60
=
1000
3
50m/sec = 50 x 60 x 60
1000
5
10
18 km
= 50 x
5 hr
1
50m/sec = 180km/hr

Easy way to Remember

Conversion
To convert the speed given in km/hr into
m/sec, multiply the given speed by

5
18

To convert the speed given in m/sec into

km/hr, multiply the given speed by 18
5
BACK

Important Formulae
DISTANCE = SPEED X TIME
SPEED =
TIME =

DISTANCE
TIME
DISTANCE
SPEED

Easy
Formula:
If you Way
know to
anyRemember
of the two ofthe
the Distance
three variables,
(distance,
Ispeed
stay in
(DST
in the
order
andDSTREET.
time) you can
findare
out what
the
otheras
oneinis.the
Distance Formula.)
BACK

I) CALCULATE DISTANCE FROM SPEED AND TIME

Enter Speed

40

m/sec

Enter Time

10

sec

DISTANCE = SPEED
=
=
BACK

40 m/sec
400

TIME
X

10 sec

II) CALCULATE TIME FROM DISTANCE AND SPEED

Enter Distance

30

Enter Speed

27

km/hr

Distance & speed are not in the same unit of measurement, so

conversion is required.
Conversion:
Speed = 27km/hr
3
15 m/sec
= 27 x 5 =
2
18
2
( Contd.)

TIME =

DISTANCE
SPEED

30 m
15/2 m/sec

2
= 30 X

2
= 4 sec.
15
1

TIME = 4 seconds
BACK

III) CALCULATE SPEED FROM TIME AND DISTANCE

Enter Time

2 hrs

Enter Distance

45 min

132 km

Time is given in both hour and minute so this can be

converted into hour.
Conversion : Time = 2 hrs 45 min
OR
Time = 2 hrs + 45 min
3
45 min = 45 hr
60 4
( Contd.)

(Contd.)
45 min =

3 hr
4

2 hrs + 45 min = 2 hr + 3 hr
4
8 + 3 hr
=
4
= 11 hr
4
(Contd.)

SPEED = DISTANCE
TIME

132 km
11/4 hr

12
= 132 X

4
11

SPEED = 48 km/hr
BACK

Word Problems
The distance between Pune and Nasik is 352 km. A
bus running at the speed of 40 km/hr left Pune at
20.00 hrs. What time will it reach Nasik?
TIME = DISTANCE SPEED
44
4 hr
4 hrs
44 hrs
352 km
=
8
hrs
+
=
8
=
=
5
5
5
40 km/hr
5
12
4
= 8 hrs and
X 60 min
5
1

= 8 hrs and 48 min

The bus started at 20.00 hrs and travelled for a

period of 8 hrs 48 min.

(Contd)

Contd

the bus reached at 20.00 hrs + 8.48 hrs = 28.48 hrs

To find the time of the day according to the 24 hours
system, let us subtract 24 from 28.48 .

hrs
28

min
48

24

00

48

= 4 hrs and 48 min

The bus reached Nasik early morning the

next day at 4 hours and 48 minutes.
BACK

TRAIN GOES PAST A POLE

Q. A train running at the speed of 36 km/hr goes

past a pole in 20 seconds. Find the length of
the train.
What does the phrase train goes past a pole
mean?
This means that the train has to travel a
distance equal to its length to go past
the pole. Hence, the time required to go
past a pole is the same as the time
required to travel a distance equal to the
trains length.
(Contd)

SOLUTION:
The length of the train will be equal to the
distance travelled in the given time with the
same speed.
Speed = 36 km/hr
Conversion:

Time = 20 sec

6
36 km/hr = 36 x 5
= 10 m/sec
18
3
1
DISTANCE = SPEED X TIME
Distance = 10m/sec x 20 sec
BACK

= 200 m

Time, Distance and Speed in

Daily
Life
Speed, time and distance is one of the basic
tools a sailor uses in navigation. Using these
simple formulae he can predict the time of
arrival, the speed of travel or the distance he
has to cover.
In athletic events and elimination rounds speed,
distance and time play a major role in the
making and breaking of records.
The departure and arrival of aeroplanes, trains
and buses depends on calculations involving
speed, time and distance.
BACK

Fill in the blanks and complete the

To convert the speedfollowing:
given in km/hr into m/sec,
multiply the given speed by

18
1m =

1
km
1000

60
1 hr = 60 ______
sec

Speed = Distance
Time

Time =

Distance
Speed

Speed
Distance = ___________
X Time
1 sec =

1
60 ___
60
___

hr
BACK

The End
Created by
Department of Research