How do you estimate travel time given distance and average speed?

• A. Time = Speed / Distance
• B. Time = Distance / Speed
• C. Time = Distance * Speed
• D. Time = Distance + Speed

Answer: (B)

Understanding how travel time relates to distance and speed is key. The time it takes to cover a distance depends on how far you have to go and how fast you’re moving. The correct relationship is time equals distance divided by speed. This makes sense because speed is how many miles you travel in one hour, so dividing the total miles by the miles-per-hour you’re traveling yields the number of hours needed.

For example, if you need to cover 300 miles at a steady 60 mph, the time required is 300 ÷ 60 = 5 hours. If you’re using different units, keep them consistent (distance in miles with speed in miles per hour gives time in hours; convert to minutes if needed).

Why the other forms don’t fit: dividing speed by distance would give units of hours per mile, which isn’t a measure of total travel time. Multiplying distance by speed would yield a quantity with incompatible units (miles × miles per hour), not time. Adding distance and speed also mixes quantities that don’t combine to give time.

Tip: always use compatible units and remember that time scales with distance and inversely with speed.