Final answer:
The person walked approximately 15.81 km in total.
Step-by-step explanation:
The person walks 30 km west, then 20 km north, and finally 15 km east. To find the total distance walked, we need to consider the components in the north-south direction and the west-east direction.
In the north-south direction, the person walks 20 km north but then comes back 15 km east. So the net displacement in this direction is 20 km - 15 km = 5 km north.
In the west-east direction, the person walks 30 km west and then 15 km east. The net displacement in this direction is 30 km - 15 km = 15 km west.
To find the total distance walked, we can use the Pythagorean theorem. The total displacement is the hypotenuse of a right triangle with sides 5 km and 15 km. Using the Pythagorean theorem, we can calculate the total displacement as √(5^2 + 15^2) = √(25 + 225) = √250.
Therefore, the person walked approximately 15.81 km in total.
Learn more about Calculating total distance