Final answer:
Without the specific number of grid lines Alec walked, we cannot calculate the distance; however, if we knew the number of grid lines walked, we could multiply by 200 meters per grid line to find the total distance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question is related to calculating distances when walking from one point to another. Each grid line on their map represents a distance of 200 meters. However, the question does not provide the number of grid lines Alec walked, so we can't calculate the exact distance he traveled. But if we assume a similar question where specific distances are given, we can understand the concept by using an example: If Alec walked along three grid lines from the post office to the science lab, and then two grid lines from the science lab to the hospital, he would have walked a total of 5 grid lines. To find the total distance, multiply the number of grid lines by 200 meters per grid line. Therefore, Alec would have walked 3 x 200m + 2 x 200m = 1000 meters in total.