Suppose the plane in Figure 2.6 starts from rest (v₀=0 m/s) when t₀=0 s. The plane accelerates down the runway and at t=29 s attains a velocity of v=+260 km/h, where the plus sign indicates that the velocity points to the right. Determine the average acceleration of the plane.

Reasoning  The average acceleration of the plane is defined as the change in its velocity divided by the elapsed time. The change in the plane’s velocity is its final velocity v minus its initial velocity v₀, or v–v₀. The elapsed time is the final time t minus the initial time t₀, or t–t₀.

Solution The average acceleration is expressed by Equation 2.4 as