What is the distance traveled by the turtle during the seventh minute if it walked 0.3 m in the first minute then it tripled its speed each minute?

Answer 1

Initial (average) speed = distance/time = 0.3 m / 1 min = 0.3 m/min

If it triples its speed every minute:

for the second minute it walks at 3 × 0.3m/min

for the third minute it walks at 3² × 0.3 m/min

for the nth minute it walks at 3ⁿ⁻¹ × 0.3 m/min

→ for the 7th minute it "walks" at 3⁷⁻¹ × 0.3 m/min = 3⁶ × 0.3 m/min (approx 13 km/h or 8 mph; we generally walk at 2 to 3 mph)

→ distance = speed × time

→ distance in 7th minute = 3⁶ × 0.3 m/min × 1 min = 3⁶ × 0.3 m = 218.7 m

Answer 2

It travelled 218.7 metres in the 7th minute.

Answer 3

0.3 x 3 to the 6th power = 218.7 meters during the seventh minute. Mighty fast turtle in the end stretch!