Ceist Eile

Ceist Eile is in development. Features, questions and prices may change while we refine it.

Subjects · Leaving Cert Applied Maths

Leaving Cert Applied Maths: Constant acceleration (suvat)

How often Constant acceleration (suvat) comes up on the Applied Maths papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 3 of the last 3 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

OL Asked on 3 of the last 3 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Constant acceleration (suvat), Higher Level(7 marks)

Quick ones on Constant acceleration (suvat).

(a)Convert 72 km/h to m/s.
  1. 25 m/s
  2. 20 m/s
  3. 259.2 m/s
(b)Which constant-acceleration equation does not involve time t?
  1. v = u + at
  2. s = ut + ½at²
  3. v² = u² + 2as
(c)A car speeds up uniformly from 10 m/s to 30 m/s in 4 s. Distance travelled?
  1. 80 m
  2. 120 m
  3. 40 m
Show the answers

(a) 20 m/s

(b) v² = u² + 2as

(c) 80 m

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Constant acceleration (suvat).

Higher Level

Asked on 3 of the last 3 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q5, Q9
2024Q1, Q5
2023Q5

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Constant acceleration (suvat) questions

Constant acceleration (suvat), 3 marks

A body starts from rest with acceleration 4 m/s². Distance covered during the 3rd second?

  1. 18 m
  2. 12 m
  3. 10 m
Show the answer

10 m

The 3rd second runs from t = 2 to t = 3: s(3) − s(2) = 2(9) − 2(4) = 18 − 8 = 10 m. 18 m is the total after 3 s; 12 is the speed at 3 s.

Constant acceleration (suvat), 3 marks

Car A starts from rest at 2 m/s² just as car B passes it at a steady 10 m/s. When does A catch B?

  1. After 20 s
  2. After 10 s
  3. After 5 s
Show the answer

After 10 s

Equal distances: t² = 10t, so t = 10 s (t = 0 is the start). At 5 s their speeds are equal and the gap is largest, but A has not caught up yet.

Constant acceleration (suvat), 2 marks

Which constant-acceleration equation does not involve the final velocity v?

  1. s = ut + ½at²
  2. v² = u² + 2as
  3. s = ½(u + v)t
Show the answer

s = ut + ½at²

Each suvat equation leaves out one of s, u, v, a, t. Pick the one missing the quantity you neither know nor want: s = ut + ½at² links s, u, a and t only.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 3 of the last 3 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q3, Q10
2024Q1
2023Q6, Q7

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Constant acceleration (suvat) questions

Constant acceleration (suvat), 3 marks

A car accelerates uniformly from rest to 20 m s⁻¹ in 5 s. Distance travelled?

  1. 100 m
  2. 25 m
  3. 50 m
Show the answer

50 m

s = ½(u + v)t = ½(0 + 20)(5) = 50 m. 100 m forgets the ½ and treats 20 m s⁻¹ as the speed all the way.

Constant acceleration (suvat), 3 marks

A ball is dropped from rest. Its speed after 2 s? (g = 9.8 m s⁻²)

  1. 4.9 m s⁻¹
  2. 19.6 m s⁻¹
  3. 9.8 m s⁻¹
Show the answer

19.6 m s⁻¹

v = u + at = 0 + 9.8 × 2 = 19.6 m s⁻¹. Each second of falling adds 9.8 m s⁻¹ to the speed.

Constant acceleration (suvat), 3 marks

A driver at 30 m s⁻¹ has a reaction time of 0.5 s. Distance before braking starts?

  1. 15 m
  2. 60 m
  3. 30 m
Show the answer

15 m

During the reaction time the car keeps its speed, so distance = 30 × 0.5 = 15 m. 60 m divides by 0.5 instead.

Other Applied Maths topics

All of Leaving Cert Applied Maths