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Distance–time graphs – practice for Years 7–8

Sample questions on Distance–time graphs with the right answer and a worked solution, from easy to hard. In the Pickles Academy app a child gets new questions of the same kind every time, so they can't just learn the answers by heart.

Subject
Physics
Year
Years 7–8
Curriculum area
Motion and forces

Question types: Reading a distance–time graph

Rule: Distance–time graphs

Time goes across, distance up. Speed in a section = how much the distance grew ÷ how long it took.

A steeper line means a higher speed. A flat line means the object is standing still.

Example: From 2 s to 6 s the distance grew from 10 m to 30 m: v = 20 ÷ 4 = 5 m/s

Watch out: Don’t divide the values at the end of the section (30 ÷ 6) but the changes in distance and time (20 ÷ 4).

Sample questions

  1. Question 1 Easy

    The graph shows how far an object has travelled. How far had it travelled after 3 s?

    0123456780246810121416s (m)t (s)ABC
    Show the solution
    Answer: 6 m

    How it works: At 3 s the graph shows 6 m.

  2. Question 2 Normal

    The graph shows the distance travelled against time. What was the object’s speed in section A?

    024681012141601020304050607080s (m)t (s)ABC
    Show the solution
    Answer: 5 m/s

    How it works: v = (30 m − 0 m) ÷ (6 s − 0 s) = 30 m ÷ 6 s = 5 m/s.

  3. Question 3 Hard

    The graph shows the distance travelled against time. What was the object’s average speed over the whole journey?

    01020304050050100150200250s (m)t (s)ABC
    Show the solution
    Answer: 4 m/s

    How it works: v = s ÷ t = 200 m ÷ 50 s = 4 m/s.

Related topics

All Physics topics

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