Speed Calculator

How it works

1. 1Enter the total distance travelled and the elapsed time in seconds.
2. 2The calculator applies speed = distance ÷ time in SI units (metres and seconds), then converts the result to your chosen unit system.
3. 3Switch the Metric / Imperial toggle to work in feet and ft/s or mph instead of metres and m/s.

Use cases

• Runners and cyclists checking average pace over a known course distance.
• Physics students solving kinematics problems that require only scalar magnitude.
• Engineers converting measured travel times into consistent speed units for reports.

Frequently asked questions

What is the formula for average speed?

Average speed = distance ÷ time. For example, if you cover 100 m in 9.58 s, your average speed is 100 ÷ 9.58 ≈ 10.438 m/s (≈ 37.58 km/h). Unlike velocity, speed is always a positive scalar — it tells you how fast, not which way.

What is the difference between speed and velocity?

Speed is a scalar: it has magnitude only (e.g. 10 m/s). Velocity is a vector: it has both magnitude and direction (e.g. 10 m/s north). This calculator computes speed — the total distance divided by time — regardless of the path taken or any change in direction along the way.

How do I convert m/s to km/h?

Multiply by 3.6. One metre per second equals 3.6 kilometres per hour because there are 1000 m in a km and 3600 s in an hour (1000 ÷ 3600 = 1 ÷ 3.6). Example: 10 m/s × 3.6 = 36 km/h. The calculator shows both units automatically in the stat grid.