I keep getting “Instantaneous velocity” questions wrong in Kinematics. What's the trap?
confusing average velocity (total displacement/total time) with instantaneous velocity.
The usual trap: confusing average velocity (total displacement/total time) with instantaneous velocity. How to avoid it: read it as the tangent slope of the x–t graph. Go back to the definition — the velocity at a single instant — the slope of the position–time graph at that point.
Key point
Instantaneous velocity
Common mistake
confusing average velocity (total displacement/total time) with instantaneous velocity.
Memory tip
read it as the tangent slope of the x–t graph.
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