What is the primary purpose of the distance formula D=rt?

The primary purpose of the distance formula ( D = rt ) is to calculate distance. In this formula, ( D ) represents distance, ( r ) stands for rate (or speed), and ( t ) signifies time. When using this formula, you can find out how far an object has traveled when you know its speed and the time it has been traveling.

For example, if a car travels at a speed of 60 miles per hour for 2 hours, you can substitute these values into the formula. The calculation would be ( D = 60 \text{ miles per hour} \times 2 \text{ hours} = 120 \text{ miles} ). This shows how the distance formula directly provides the distance based on the other two variables. Therefore, the focus on computing the distance using this relationship makes it clear why this is its primary purpose.