To convert the given speed from miles per hour (mph) to feet per second (ft/sec), you'll need to follow a few steps. Let's go through it in detail:
1. Know the conversion factors:
- 1 mile is equal to 5,280 feet.
- 1 hour is equal to 3,600 seconds.
2. Start with the given speed in miles per hour:
- 55 miles per hour.
3. Convert miles to feet:
- Since 1 mile equals 5,280 feet, multiply the speed in miles per hour by 5,280 to get the distance in feet traveled per hour:
[tex]\[
55 \text{ miles/hour} \times 5,280 \text{ feet/mile} = 290,400 \text{ feet/hour}
\][/tex]
4. Convert hours to seconds:
- Since 1 hour equals 3,600 seconds, divide the number of feet traveled per hour by the number of seconds in an hour to get the speed in feet per second:
[tex]\[
\frac{290,400 \text{ feet/hour}}{3,600 \text{ seconds/hour}} = 80.6667 \text{ feet/second}
\][/tex]
5. Round to the nearest tenth:
- The final step is to round the result to the nearest tenth. Therefore, 80.6667 feet per second rounds to 80.7 feet per second.
Hence, the speed limit of 55 miles per hour is equivalent to 80.7 feet per second.