Revealing the Speed: Understanding Meters Per Second with a Car Example

If you're gearing up for the Ontario Mathematics Proficiency Test, understanding speed calculations is crucial—especially when it comes to converting units. Let’s dive into a classic problem involving cars, speed, and a bit of math magic!

Starting Point: What’s the Problem?

Imagine this: a car travels 60 kilometers in one hour. Your task? Figure out its speed in meters per second. Sounds straightforward, right? But as we all know, math often hides its tricks in plain sight!

Here's the multiple-choice question:
If a car travels 60 km in 1 hour, what is its speed in meters per second?
A. 10 m/s
B. 12 m/s
C. 16.67 m/s
D. 20 m/s

The correct answer is C: 16.67 m/s. Now let’s break this down to understand how we arrive at this answer.

Converting Kilometers to Meters

First things first, when dealing with speed in meters per second, we need to convert kilometers into meters. You know what? This is usually where students get a bit tangled up. The conversion factor is simple: 1 kilometer equals 1,000 meters. So, to convert 60 kilometers to meters, you would do:

60 km × 1,000 m/km = 60,000 m.

Now, that seems much more manageable, doesn’t it?

Transforming Hours into Seconds

Next up, let’s tackle the time part. We’ve got one hour to convert into seconds. This is where things can get a bit tricky. In an hour, there are 60 minutes, and in each minute, there are 60 seconds. So, multiplying those gives:

1 hour = 60 minutes × 60 seconds/minute
1 hour = 3,600 seconds.

Now we’ve got our time unit sorted out!

Now for the Big Equation

Alright, here’s the moment of truth! To determine the speed of our car, we take the total distance in meters and divide it by the total time in seconds. This follows the formula:

Speed = Distance / Time

Substituting in our values:

Speed = 60,000 m / 3,600 s.

Crunching the Numbers

Now, let’s do the math. When you divide 60,000 by 3,600, what do you get?

60,000 ÷ 3,600 = 16.67 m/s.

Ta-da! The speed of the car is approximately 16.67 meters per second, confirming our multiple-choice answer. It’s like uncovering a treasure hidden in numbers!

Why Unit Conversions Matter

You might be wondering why all this matters. Understanding unit conversions is absolutely essential—not just for tests but also in real-life applications. Whether you're calculating fuel efficiency, analyzing speed limits, or even timing a sprint, knowing how to seamlessly shift between units can give you a massive leg up.

Practice Makes Perfect

Want to ensure that speed calculations and unit conversions stick? Here’s a tip: practice similar problems! When you become familiar with the process, the math starts feeling less daunting and more like a game. Look for opportunities to solve similar issues, and don’t shy away from asking for help if you stumble across a hurdle.

Wrapping It Up

So there you have it! By converting between kilometers and meters, and hours and seconds, you've learned not only how to find speed but also how to approach math problems confidently. This isn’t just about the numbers—it's about building a solid foundation for everything mathematical.

Getting ready for the Ontario Mathematics Proficiency Test? Keep this method in your toolkit, and you’ll be zooming through these kinds of problems in no time!