Travel graphs are line graphs that are used to describe the motion of
objects such as cars, trains, walkers and cyclists. The distance travelled
is represented on the vertical axis and the time taken to travel that
distance is represented on the horizontal axis.
Example 9
The following graph gives the distance of a cyclist from his home.

a. When did the cyclist leave home?
b. When did the cyclist return home?
c. How far away from home was he at 10 a.m.?
d. How far away from home was he at 11 a.m.?
e. How far away from home was he at 2 p.m.?
f. How far away from home was he at 3 p.m.?
g. At what times did he take a rest?
h. How far away from home was he at noon?
i. How far away from home was he at 5 p.m.?
j. Find his speed from:
(i) 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
(ii) 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(iii) 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
k. When was the cyclist travelling most quickly?
Solution:
a. The cyclist left home at 8 a.m.
b. The cyclist returned home at 5 p.m.
c. At 10 a.m., he was 20 km away from home.
d. At 11 a.m., he was 20 km away from home.
e. At 2 p.m., he was 60 km away from home.
f. At 3 p.m., he was 60 km away from home.
g. The cyclist took a rest between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and between 2 p.m.
and 3 p.m.
h. At noon, he was about 33 km away from home.
i. At 5 p.m., the cyclist was at home. So, he was 0 km away from home.



k. The cyclist was travelling most quickly between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Key Terms
travel graph
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