Speed Calculator

If you're searching for how to calculate the speed-time-distance relationship, this speed calculator is for you! With this calculator, you can:

• Calculate speed, given distance and time;
• By inputting speed and distance, calculate time;
• Calculate distance;
• Compare the time with a different speed, using the advanced mode in the calculator.

Consider that when we use total distance covered and time traveled (as in this calculator), we calculate an average speed. The final section discusses this and the difference between speed and velocity.

CalcTool's internal unit conversion allows you to conveniently have the inputs and outputs in different units. If you have doubts about calculating miles per hour and other velocity units, you can look at our speed converter.

Once you've mastered speed and velocity, you'll be ready to study acceleration with our acceleration calculator.

Speed is equal to the distance traveled divided by the time taken:

speed = distance/time

It's important to know that this is an average speed formula, as going over some distance in a specific amount of time could be done at different speeds during that travel.

Now that you know how to find the speed let's see how to calculate distance and time.

If we know the average speed and time, we can solve the previous speed equation for distance:

distance = speed × time

And do the same for time:

time = distance/speed

Speed and velocity might seem the same, but they're not.

• Speed is a scalar quantity - it has magnitude only but not direction. In simple terms, it tells how fast an object moves.
• Velocity is a vector quantity - it is defined not only by magnitude but also by direction. It tells the rate at which an object changes its position.

While speed depends on distance traveled, velocity depends on initial and final positions. If the initial and final positions are the same, the position doesn't change, and the average velocity equals zero.

Suppose a car travels from point A to point B and returns to point A, all that in 30 seconds. If there's a distance of 50 m between both points, the car had an average speed of:

speed = distance/time = (2 × 50 m)/30 s = 3.33 m/s

On the other hand, the velocity is zero, as the initial and final positions are the same.