Math Help - Velocity

1. Velocity

The figure above shows the graph of the velocity of a moving object as a function of time. At which point is the speed the greatest?

I would think B since its a relative max and velocity=speed , however a friend told me something that is making me second guess my answer

2. Originally Posted by rawkstar

The figure above shows the graph of the velocity of a moving object as a function of time. At which point is the speed the greatest?

I would think B since its a relative max and velocity=speed , however a friend told me something that is making me second guess my answer

speed = |v|

3. Originally Posted by rawkstar

The figure above shows the graph of the velocity of a moving object as a function of time. At which point is the speed the greatest?

I would think B since its a relative max and velocity=speed , however a friend told me something that is making me second guess my answer

at the point D.
Why ?
as "Skeeter" wrote,you should take the maximum "absolute value" of all the given velocities.

4. Sorry , it's Velocity with respect to time ~ I thought distance w.r.t time.

5. Hello, rawkstar!

The figure above shows the graph of the velocity of a moving object as a function of time.
At which point is the speed the greatest?
We can baby-talk our way through this.
. . I'll make up some numbers . . .

At $A$, the velocity is +2.
The object is moving to the right at 2 ft/sec.

At $B$, the velocity is +3.
The object was speeding up and is now moving to the right at 3 ft/sec.

Then the object slows down
and at $C$ it has completely stopped (velocity = 0).

Then the object moves to the left (negative velocity)
and speeds up until point $D$, where the velocity is, say, -6 ft/sec.

Then it slows down until point $E$ where it is moving at only -1 ft/sec,
still moving to the left.

Since $speed \,=\,| velocity|$, the maximum speed is at point $D.$

6. Thanks!