Robot Unit Rate/Speed Problems
page 1
This robot walks at a constant rate. Once
you set its speed and press "go", it walks in
a straight line, at a constant rate, and it
doesn't speed up or slow down.
Remember, Speed = Distance / Time
In this context, unit rate = the distance for
every 1 unit of time.
Unit Rate/Speed Problems
Use the concept of unit rate to solve each problem.
1. During a test run, the robot is set to a fairly slow speed. Suppose the robot walks 85
meters in 17 minutes. What is the robot's speed in meters per minute?
2. In the next run, the robot's speed is increased. This time, the robot covers 85 meters in
just 10 minutes. What was the robot's speed this time? Write your answer as a fraction
and a decimal.
3. After the second run, the engineers are getting confident. They increase the robot's speed
again. This time, The robot covers 100 meters in 2½ minutes. What's speed did they set
the robot to? Write your answer as a fraction and a decimal.
4. Now, the engineers are trying out various settings. What is the robot's speed if it covers 5
meters in 3 seconds? Give your answer in fraction form and decimal form.
5. A different engineer takes over recording the data. He likes to record numbers in fraction
form. He records the following: 5/2 meters in 1/3 minutes. What's the robot's speed?
Robot Unit Rate/Speed Problems
page 2
Let's make sure you understand the main point of these unit rates. Copy and complete each table:
6.a
6.b
6.c
meters
8
minutes
3
meters
3
minutes
11
meters
12
minutes
5
1
1
1
Got that? Now try these tables:
7.a
7.b
7.c
meters
2/3
minutes
8
meters
5/4
minutes
8
meters
5
minutes
3/8
1
1
1
8. Now the engineers are trying out different settings. Fill in the table with the speeds,
expressed as unit rates.
Distance
Time
8/3 m
12 sec
5/4 m
8/3 sec
9/7 m
2/5 sec
1/5 m
2/9 sec
Speed
Robot Unit Rate/Speed Problems
ANSWERS
This robot walks at a constant rate. Once you
set its speed and press "go", it walks in a
straight line, at a constant rate, and it doesn't
speed up or slow down.
Remember, Speed = Distance / Time
In this context, unit rate = the distance for every
1 unit of time.
Unit Rate/Speed Problems
Use the concept of unit rate to solve each problem.
1. During a test run, the robot is set to a fairly slow speed. Suppose the robot walks 85 meters in 17
minutes. What is the robot's speed in meters per minute?
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 =
85
𝑜𝑟 5 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒
17
2. In the next run, the robot's speed is increased. This time, the robot covers 85 meters in just 10
minutes. What was the robot's speed this time? Write your answer as a fraction and a decimal.
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 =
85
𝑜𝑟 8.5 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒
10
3. After the second run, the engineers are getting confident. They increase the robot's speed again.
This time, The robot covers 100 meters in 2½ minutes. What's speed did they set the robot to?
Write your answer as a fraction and a decimal.
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 =
85
5
2
𝑜𝑟 40 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒
4. Now, the engineers are trying out various settings. What is the robot's speed if it covers 5 meters
in 3 seconds? Give your answer in fraction form and decimal form.
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 =
5
𝑜𝑟 1. 6̅ 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒
3
5. A different engineer takes over recording the data. He likes to record numbers in fraction form.
He records the following: 5/2 meters in 1/3 minutes. What's the robot's speed?
𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 =
5
2
1
3
=
5 1 5 1 5
÷ = × = 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒
2 3 2 3 6
Let's make sure you understand the main point of these unit rates. Copy and complete each table:
6.a
6.b
6.c
meters
8
8/3
minutes
3
1
meters
3
3/11
minutes
11
1
meters
12
12/5 or 2 2/5
minutes
5
1
meters
2/3
1/12
minutes
8
1
meters
5/4
5/32
minutes
8
1
meters
5
40/3 or 13 1/3
minutes
3/8
1
Got that? Now try these tables:
7.a
7.b
7.c
8. Now the engineers are trying out different settings. Fill in the table with the speeds,
expressed as unit rates.
Distance
Time
Speed
8/3 m
12 sec
8/36 or 2/9 meters
per second
5/4 m
8/3 sec
15/32 meters per
second
9/7 m
2/5 sec
45/14 or 3 3/14
meters per second
1/5 m
2/9 sec
9/10 meters per
second