Travel Time

This formula tells you how long a trip takes when you know how far you need to go and how fast you are moving. It works because speed means "distance traveled per unit time," so rearranging that relationship gives time = distance ÷ speed. If you go faster, the same distance takes less time; if the distance is longer, the time increases.

Use this formula for travel planning, sports timing, or any problem involving constant speed over a set distance. It is especially useful when the speed stays the same the whole way, such as a car on a highway, a train between stations, or a runner on a track.

• Dividing speed by distance instead of distance by speed
• Using mismatched units, such as kilometers with meters per second, without converting
• Forgetting that the formula assumes a constant speed