What Is the Equation for Acceleration?

The equation for acceleration is a = (vf – vi) / t. It is calculated by first subtracting the initial velocity of an object by the final velocity and dividing the answer by time.

If an object begins its movement at 0 m/s (meters per second) and reaches a top velocity of 50 m/s in 5 seconds, all the information needed to solve the equation is given. Start with the 50 m/s and subtract by 0 m/s, which equals 50 m/s. The next step is to divide 50 m/s by 5 seconds, which results in 10 m/s over 1 second. That means the object’s acceleration was 10 m/s/s, or 10 meters per seconds squared.

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