The graph increases when the car is speeding up and decreases when the car is slowing down.
Example Graph:
Practice makes perfect
We want to graph the car's speed as it moves on and off the highway, as it stops at red lights, and, finally, as it approaches its dstination. One possible graph is shown below.
Let's look at the segments one by one.
A to B: The car is speeding up to get on to the freeway. This means that the graph is increasing as the car picks up speed.
B to C: On the highway, the car is cruising along at 65 mi/h, the speed is holding steady, and the graph is a horizontal line along y=65.
C to D: The car is getting ready to exit the highway and slows down to an appropriate speed.
D to E: The car is now cruising along on a road that is not the highway.
E to F: The car is slowing down to a complete stop at the first red light.
F to G: The car is waiting for the light to turn green.
G to H: The car is picking up speed when the light switches to green.
H to I: The car is slowing down to a complete stop at the second red light.
I to J: The car is again waiting for the light to turn green.
J to K: The car is picking up speed when the light switches to green.
K to L: The car is slowing down to a complete stop at the third red light.
L to M: The car is waiting for the last light to turn green.
M to N: The car is picking up speed when the light switches to green.
N to O: The car is slowing down as it approaches its destination.
Please note that this is just one of an infinite number of possible appropriate graphs.
