Rana walks to his farm house 4 km away from home. In the morning he covers the distance in 1.5 hours whereas, while returning home in the evening, he takes 60 more minutes to cover the same distance. Find his average speed (in kmph) during the two-way journey.

1. A

   3

2. B

   3.5

3. C

   2

4. D

   2.5

Appeared in: DSSSB October 2024

Explanation

• The formula for average speed is Total Distance Traveled divided by Total Time Taken.
• The total distance for the two-way journey is 4 km (going) + 4 km (returning) = 8 km.
• The time for the return journey is 1.5 hours + 60 minutes (1 hour) = 2.5 hours. The total time is 1.5 hours + 2.5 hours = 4 hours.
• Applying the formula, the average speed is 8 km / 4 hours = 2 kmph.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: This value is incorrect. An average speed of 3 kmph over 8 km would imply a total travel time of 8/3 ≈ 2.67 hours, which contradicts the calculated total time of 4 hours.
• Option B: This value is incorrect. An average speed of 3.5 kmph over 8 km would imply a total travel time of 8/3.5 ≈ 2.28 hours, which is not the calculated total time of 4 hours.
• Option D: This is the time taken for the return journey (2.5 hours), not the average speed. It's a common error to confuse one of the journey's parameters with the final calculated average.

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Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Calculation of Average Speed as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
• This question assesses basic quantitative aptitude and problem-solving skills, which are essential for non-nursing sections of nursing entrance exams.
• The ability to perform multi-step calculations is a foundational skill for tasks like medication dosage calculation, where accuracy is critical.
• What if the return journey took 30 minutes less instead of 60 minutes more? The return time would be 1.0 hour. Total time would be 1.5 + 1.0 = 2.5 hours. The average speed would then be 8 km / 2.5 hours = 3.2 kmph.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify all the given information: one-way distance (4 km), time for the first leg (1.5 hours), and the additional time for the return leg (60 minutes).
• Calculate the total distance for the entire journey. Since it's a two-way trip, double the one-way distance.
• Calculate the time taken for the return journey. Convert the extra minutes to hours and add it to the initial time.
• Sum the time for both legs of the journey to find the total time.
• Apply the formula for average speed: Average Speed = Total Distance / Total Time.
• Perform the final division to find the answer and match it with the given options.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Calculation of Average Speed
• Stem keywords: average speed, distance, time, kmph
• Lead-in keywords: Find
• Clinical cues: The care setting changes urgency, monitoring level, and the expected nursing action.

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