Estimating the Mile Record




Third Analysis: Linear Approximation

To improve your estimate (which means looking for a lower Upper Bound and a higher Lower Bound, making your Uncertainty Gap smaller), consider the average speeds.

Compute the average speed for the 1,500 m world's record:

Average Speed = distance/time   =  __________/__________  =  (approximately) __________.

If the mile were run at this speed how many seconds would it take? (Recall that time = distance/speed). Mile record estimate based on average speed for 1,500 m:

________/________  =  (approximately) __________.


Compute the average speed for the 2,000 m world's record:

Average Speed = distance/time  =  __________/__________  =  (approximately) __________.

If the mile were run at this speed how many seconds would it take? Mile record estimate based on average speed for 2,000 m:

________/________  =  (approximately) __________.

Based on the observation that the greater the distance run, the lower the athlete's average speed, fill out the following chart.

Your Lower Bound for mile record: ____________________ seconds.
Your Upper Bound for mile record: ____________________ seconds.
The size of your "Uncertainty Gap": ____________________ seconds.