How to Calculate Distance Using Time

A stopwatch measures time.

Distance and time are two units that can be linked by rates. Distance measures how far you have traveled, while time measures how long it took you to do something. To link distance and time, you need a rate, which represents how much distance has been covered in a certain amount of time. The rate can be found be looking at a speedometer in a car or by using a GPS device that tells you your current speed.

Things You'll Need

• Calculator
• Stopwatch

Instructions

1. Calculate the amount of time that has passed by using a stopwatch or other timing device. Call this variable "T".

2. Determine the rate at which you are traveling, and call this variable "R". If you are driving in a car, you can use the speedometer to determine how fast you are going.

3. Multiply the rate ("R") by the time ("T") to calculate the distance. For example, if you were traveling at 45 miles per hour for two hours, you would have traveled 90 miles total.

References

• The Math Forum: Distance, Rate and Time
• CSG Network: Time, Speed and Distance Calculator