Calculating Distance of Firework Shell Explosion from John

Question:

If it took 3.7 seconds for the sound to reach John, how far away was the firework shell when it exploded in kilometers? Assume that the speed of sound in air is 1,236 km/h.

Answer:

1.2703 km

Explanation:

The speed can be calculated using the formula:
Speed (m/s) = distance (m) ÷ time (s)

Based on the information in this question, it took 3.7 seconds for a sound with a speed of 1,236 km/h to reach John. The distance will be:

Distance = speed × time

However, we need to convert the time in seconds (s) to hours (hr).
1 second = 0.000277778 hour
3.7 seconds = 0.00102778 hours.

Hence, distance = 1,236 km/h × 0.00102778 hours = 1.2703 km