EDEXCEL GCSE FOUNDATION MATHS - What are Travel Graphs

Edexcel GCSE Foundation Maths - What are Travel Graphs?

Travel graphs are used to show the journey of a person or object over time. They are a powerful tool for visualizing and understanding the information about a journey, including:

• Distance travelled: How far the person or object has moved.
• Speed: How fast the person or object is travelling.
• Time taken: How long the journey takes.

Parts of a Travel Graph

A typical travel graph has two axes:

• Vertical axis (y-axis): Represents distance travelled, usually in kilometres or miles.
• Horizontal axis (x-axis): Represents time taken, usually in hours or minutes.

Types of Lines on a Travel Graph

• Horizontal line: Indicates that the person or object is stationary (not moving).
• Diagonal line: Indicates that the person or object is moving at a constant speed. The steeper the line, the faster the speed.
• Curved line: Indicates that the person or object is changing speed.

Interpreting Travel Graphs

Here's how to interpret information from a travel graph:

1. Distance travelled: Read the distance value on the y-axis corresponding to a specific time on the x-axis.
2. Time taken: Read the time value on the x-axis corresponding to a specific distance on the y-axis.
3. Speed: Calculate the speed by dividing the distance travelled by the time taken.

Example:

Imagine a travel graph showing a car journey. The graph has a horizontal line for the first 30 minutes, followed by a diagonal line upwards for the next hour.

• Stationary period: The horizontal line indicates the car was stationary for the first 30 minutes.
• Constant speed: The diagonal line indicates the car was travelling at a constant speed for the next hour.
• Distance travelled: To find the distance travelled during the hour, read the distance value on the y-axis at the end of the diagonal line.
• Speed: To find the speed during the hour, divide the distance travelled by 1 hour.

Applications of Travel Graphs

Travel graphs are used in various real-life situations, including:

• Planning journeys: To estimate arrival times and distances.
• Analysing traffic patterns: To understand traffic flow and identify congestion areas.
• Monitoring vehicle performance: To track speed, distance, and fuel consumption.

Conclusion

Understanding travel graphs is crucial for comprehending and analysing information about journeys. By interpreting the lines and axes, you can gain valuable insights into distance, speed, and time taken. With practice, you can confidently interpret and use travel graphs in various applications.