Question

mark is on his way home from work. He drives 35 miles due North and then 42 miles due West. Find the shortest distance he can cover to reach home early.

Answer 1

Use the Pyth. Theorem:

35^2 + 42^2 = (shortest distance)^2

(shortest distance)^2 = 2989

shortest distance = sqrt(2989) = 54.7 miles

Answer 2

54.67 miles North West

Explanation:

Mark is going 35 miles North and 42 miles West. The shortest distance is a straight line and to get the straight line we have to draw a rectangle (it comes as an image not in scale).

We know that it will be a right triangle because if we turn West from North we are turning 90 degrees.

Now we have to get the distance with the formula of distance using Pythagoras formula:

distance = √(a²+b²)

Where:

a is the first distance and b is the second distance:

We substitute in the formula:

distance = √(35² + 42²)

distance = √(1225 + 1764)

distance = √(2989)

distance = 54.67 miles