Re: speed and velocity

[Zach Wolff <zachary_wolff@YAHOO.COM>]

---Bob Sciamanda <trebor@VELOCITY.NET> wrote:
> A serious problem arises when speaking of average speed.  The term
> "average speed" can mean:
>
> 1) the average value of the magnitude of the velocity; or
> 2) the total distance traveled divided by the total elapsed time.

How are these two quantities different?  The net displacement divided
by the total elapsed time is equal to the average velocity, while the
total distance traveled divided by the total elapsed time is equal to
the average speed, with speed meaning the magnitude of the velocity.

Zach
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