Four athletes run twice around a track. The table shows their times at the end of each lap. Which athlete runs the second lap the fastest?

| Athlete | Time at end of first lap (s) | Time at end of second lap (s) |
|---------|------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| A | 22.99 | 47.04 |
| B | 23.04 | 47.00 |
| C | 23.16 | 47.18 |
| D | 23.39 | 47.24 |

To determine which athlete runs the second lap the fastest, we need to calculate the time each athlete took to complete just their second lap. We do this by subtracting the time at the end of the first lap from the time at the end of the second lap for each athlete.

Athlete A :
Time for second lap = Time at end of second lap - Time at end of first lap
Time for second lap = 47.04 s − 22.99 s = 24.05 s

Athlete B :
Time for second lap = 47.00 s − 23.04 s = 23.96 s

Athlete C :
Time for second lap = 47.18 s − 23.16 s = 24.02 s

Athlete D :
Time for second lap = 47.24 s − 23.39 s = 23.85 s


Now, let's compare the times for the second lap:

Athlete A: 24.05 s
Athlete B: 23.96 s
Athlete C: 24.02 s
Athlete D: 23.85 s

Based on these calculations, Athlete D runs the second lap the fastest, with a time of 23.85 seconds. This means Athlete D reduced their time compared to their first lap by the greatest amount, showcasing their speed on this lap.

Answered by EmmaGraceJohnson | 2025-07-22