A person crosses a 600 m long street in 5 minutes. What is his speed in km per hour?
Aptitude
Time and Distance
Difficulty: Easy
Choose an option
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A3.6
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B7.2
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C8.4
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D10
Answer
Correct Answer: 7.2
Explanation
### Concept & Multi-Step Conversion
This problem requires calculating speed and then standardizing the units. First, calculate the speed in meters per second (m/sec), then convert that result into kilometers per hour (km/hr).
$$ \text{Speed} = \frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Time}} $$
$$ \text{Speed in km/hr} = \text{Speed in m/sec} \times \frac{18}{5} $$
### Step-by-Step Solution
* **Given:** Distance = $600$ m, Time = $5$ minutes.
* **Convert Time to seconds:**
* $5 \text{ minutes} = 5 \times 60 = 300 \text{ seconds}$.
* **Calculate Speed in m/sec:**
* $\text{Speed} = \frac{600 \text{ m}}{300 \text{ s}} = 2 \text{ m/sec}$.
* **Convert Speed to km/hr:**
* $\text{Speed in km/hr} = 2 \times \frac{18}{5}$
* $= \frac{36}{5}$
* $= 7.2 \text{ km/hr}$.
### Exam Strategy & Shortcut
Alternatively, convert the original inputs directly to km and hours. Distance = $0.6$ km. Time = $5/60$ hours = $1/12$ hours. Speed = $0.6 / (1/12) = 0.6 \times 12 = 7.2$ km/hr. This avoids the $18/5$ multiplier entirely and is often faster if you are comfortable with fractions.
### Common Pitfall
Using the $5$ minutes directly as seconds (calculating $600/5 = 120$ m/s) resulting in an absurdly high and incorrect final km/hr speed. Always ensure your time base is in seconds before using the $18/5$ conversion factor.
### Final Answer
Therefore, the correct answer is **7.2**.