Question

(Figure 1) shows Sue along the straight-line path between her home and the cinema, where d=3.2 mi. Assume the positive direction is to the right.

Part A
If Sue walks home, what is her displacement if her home is the origin?
Express your answer in miles.
Part B
If Sue walks home, what is her displacement it the cinema is the origin? Assume the positive direction is to the right. Express your answer in miles.

Answer 1

A. The displacement of Sue, given that she walk home and her origin is home, is -2 mi

B. The displacement of Sue, given that she walk home and her origin is cinema, is -5 mi

How to calculate the displacement of Sue?

A. The displacement of Sue, knowing that she walk home and her origin is home can be calculated as follow:

• Initial displacement = 2 mi
• Final displacement = 0 mi
• Resultant displacement =?

Resultant displacement = Final displacement - initial displacement

= 0 - 2

= -2 mi

B. The displacement of Sue, knowing that she walk home and her origin is cinema can be calculated as follow:

• Initial displacement = 0 mi
• d = 3.2 mi
• Final displacement = 2 + d = 2 + 3.2 = 5.2 mi
• Resultant displacement =?

Resultant displacement = Final displacement - initial displacement

= 0 - 5.2

= -5.2 mi