1. State the problem: A humpback whale swims south at one-third of its maximum speed for 12 minutes. Its maximum speed is 645 meters per minute. We need to find the distance the whale swam. 2. Calculate the actual swimming speed: Since the whale swims at one-third of its maximum speed, the speed is $$ \frac{1}{3} \times 645 = 215 \text{ meters per minute} $$ 3. Calculate the total distance traveled: Distance is speed multiplied by time, so $$ 215 \text{ meters/minute} \times 12 \text{ minutes} = 2580 \text{ meters} $$ 4. Final answer: The whale swam 2580 meters.