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Home Minds On Vibrations and Waves Mission WM4 Wavelength-Frequency-Speed Relationship Help Help 2

Mission WM4 Wavelength-Frequency-Speed Relationship

The Question

Find the wavelength of a wave (in meters) whose frequency is 1.6 Hz and which travels at 5.4 meters/second.
 
(Note: Your numbers are randomized numbers and likely different from the numbers listed here.)

Formula Fix

The speed (v) of a wave can be calculated from knowledge of the wavelength (W) and the frequency (f) of the wave. The formula is

v = f • W

Math Magic

The equation in the Formula Frenzy section is written in such a way as to solve for wave speed. But as long as two of the three quantities in the equation are known, the third quantity can be determined. Some basic algebra principles are required to arrange the equation so as to solve for wavelength. The goal is to multiply or divide each side of the equation by some variable so that wavelength is present by itself on one side of the equation. Dividing both left and right side of the equation by fwill cancel it from the right side and put the equation in the form of W=... .

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