Typically, distances between cities or long distances are measured in miles or kilometers. However, when it comes to air travel, the duration of a flight is usually expressed in hours and minutes. This is because the speed of an aircraft is measured in miles per hour or kilometers per hour, and the distance traveled is divided by the speed to calculate the travel time.
In this case, since the distance between New York and Portland, Oregon is 2,442 miles, we would need to know the average speed of the aircraft to determine the flight time. Assuming an average speed of around 550 miles per hour for a commercial jet, the flight time can be calculated as follows:
Flight time = Distance / Speed
Flight time = 2,442 miles / 550 miles per hour
Flight time ≈ 4.44 hours
Therefore, the most appropriate unit to represent the time it takes to fly from New York to Portland, Oregon would be hours. In this case, the flight time would be approximately 4.44 hours.