Final answer:
The question involves using vector displacement to move a coati sprite on a computer screen by 173 pixels to the right and 45 pixels downward, which can be described with mathematical concepts taught in middle school.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves moving a coati sprite on a computer screen in a simulated forest environment. Initially, the coati sprite is 234 pixels to the left of the edge of the screen. When a lizard sprite appears, the coati sprite moves 173 pixels to the right and 45 pixels downward. This scenario can be described using vector displacement in mathematics.
Vector displacement is a way to describe movement in a particular direction and distance from an initial position. In this case, the coati's movement can be represented by a vector with a horizontal component (to the right) and a vertical component (downward).
To provide a visual example, imagine the screen as a grid with the coati's initial position as a point on this grid. The horizontal movement to the right is positive, and the vertical downward movement is also considered positive in this context. After the displacement, we would locate the new position of the coati by measuring 173 pixels to the right and 45 pixels downward from the initial position, similar to plotting points on a Cartesian coordinate system.