Approximately how many miles per hour is the speed of sound (about 300 m/s)?

Approximately how many miles per hour is the speed of sound (about 300 m/s)?

• A. 200 mph
• B. 520 mph
• C. 760 mph
• D. 1000 mph

Answer: (C)

The speed of sound in air at typical room temperature is about 343 meters per second. To compare to miles per hour, convert using the factor 1 m/s ≈ 2.237 mph. So 343 m/s × 2.237 ≈ 767 mph, which rounds to about 760 mph in these options. The problem notes “about 300 m/s,” but the standard value used for these estimates is a bit higher, giving a result near 760 mph. The other numbers are notably farther from the actual value: about 200 mph is too slow, around 520 mph is still low, and about 1000 mph is higher than expected.

The speed of sound in air at typical room temperature is about 343 meters per second. To compare to miles per hour, convert using the factor 1 m/s ≈ 2.237 mph. So 343 m/s × 2.237 ≈ 767 mph, which rounds to about 760 mph in these options. The problem notes “about 300 m/s,” but the standard value used for these estimates is a bit higher, giving a result near 760 mph. The other numbers are notably farther from the actual value: about 200 mph is too slow, around 520 mph is still low, and about 1000 mph is higher than expected.