Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
In the context of this question, t = 2 represents a specific point in time for which we want to find the velocity of the car. By substituting t = 2 into the position function, we can calculate the car's velocity at that particular moment.
Position refers to an object's location or coordinates at any given time. The position function provides a mathematical equation to determine an object's position as a function of time.
Time Interval: A time interval represents a range or duration between two specific times. In this case, we are interested in knowing about the velocity at one specific moment (t = 2).
A derivative is a mathematical concept used to describe how one quantity changes with respect to another quantity. In this case, taking the derivative of the position function helps us find the instantaneous velocity at t = 2 by measuring its rate of change with respect to time.