NAME DATE BAND

VELOCITY GRAPHS
CALCULUS | PACKER COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE

For all of these, time is measured in hours, velocity is measured in miles per hour, and position is measured in
miles.

1. Here is a velocity graph for Max walking straight forward for 6 hours, in a contemplative daze.

(a) If Max was on a number line, and started off at x=0, where would
Max be at t=1 hour?

(b) Where would Max be at the 5 hour mark?

(c) Where would Max be at the 2.31 hour mark?

(d) Where would Max be after h hours?

(e) Sketch Max’s position in time on the graph below:

(f) What is the total distance that Max walked?

(g) If Max started at x=-7 on the number line, where would Max have ended up on the number line after all six
hours? Label t=0, t=1, t=2, t=3, …, t=6 on the number line.

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2. Here is a velocity graph for Lucie walking quickly for 6 hours. Again, imagine Lucie walking on a number. At
t=0, she is at x=8.

(a) Look at the graph below. Is Lucie walking forwards or backwards on the number line?

(b) Graph Lucie’s position over time!

(c) If Lucie started off at x=100 on the number line, where would Lucie have ended up?

(d) If Lucie had started off at x=-27 on the number line, where would Lucie have ended up?

(e) If Lucie started at x=20, graph Lucie’s position on the number line. Plot t=0, t=1, t=2, t=3, …, t=6.

(f) How far did Lucie walk total?

(g) Describe in words Lucie’s motion on the number line.

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3. Here is a velocity graph of Cameron. At t=0, Cameron is at x=14 on a number line.

(a) Plot Cameron’s path on the number line below. Plot t=0, t=1, t=2, t=3, …, t=6.

(b) Where is Cameron at the following times: at t=0.5 hours? t=0.75 hours? t=2.25 hours?

(c) Graph the position versus time below!

(d) What is the total distance that Cameron walked?

(e) At the end of the six hours, how far away is Cameron from
where he started on the number line? (This is called the
displacement.) It is negative if Cameron ends up to the left of
where he started, and positive if Cameron ends up to the right of
where he started.

(f) If Cameron started at x=78 on the number line, where would

he have ended up after 6 hours?

(g) If Cameron started at x=-17.23 on the number line, where

would he have ended up after 6 hours?

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4. Here is a velocity graph of Savannah. At t=0, she starts out at x=5 on the number line.

(a) Where is Savannah at:

t=0 t=0.5 t=1 t=1.5 t=2 t=2.5 t=3 t=3.5 t=4 t=4.5 t=5 t=5=5 t=6
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(b) Plot Savannah’s position over time!

(c) Describe in words Savannah’s motion on the
number line.

(d) What is the total displacement that Savannah

went through from start to finish?

(e) Look at Savannah’s position graph. What does

it kinda look like?

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5. (a) Below are some velocity graphs and associated position graphs. I’m having all the people start at x=0 on
the number line to make things easier for me! For each of them:
• Find where the velocity is largest, and circle that little piece. Then find the piece of the position graph
that corresponds and circle it.
• Find where the velocity is 0, and put a star over that little piece. Then find the piece of the position
graph that corresponds and put a star over it.
• Find where the velocity is most negative (if at all) and draw a rectangle around that little piece. Then
find the piece of the position graph that corresponds and rectangle it.

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(b) Look carefully at all the velocity and position graphs. This is super open-ended. What observations can you
make about the relationship between the velocity graphs and the position graphs? Write a list below of at least
six things.