The situation can be modeled using the function
, where x is the number of steps to the right and y is the number of steps to arrive at the desk.
The situation described can be modeled using a function that calculates the shortest path from Phillip's original position to his desk. Let's break down the steps:
Phillip walks x steps to the right, which can be represented by a positive x value.
Then, he turns left at a 90° angle, which doesn't impact the distance traveled.
Finally, Phillip walks y steps to arrive at his desk, which can be represented by a positive y value.
To find the shortest path, we can use the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the distance, d, as:
.
Therefore, the function that best models the situation is
.