Final Answer:
The hiker covered a total distance of 4 units and had a displacement of 1 unit, highlighting the distinction between distance (path length) and displacement (change in position).
Step-by-step explanation:
The hiker's journey involves moving in different directions: South (-1), West (-1), West (-1), North (+1), South (-1), East (+1). The total distance is calculated by summing the magnitudes of these individual movements, resulting in a total distance of 4 units.
The displacement, on the other hand, is the straight-line distance from the initial to the final position. In this case, the hiker's final position is one unit east of the starting point. Displacement is a vector quantity, considering both the magnitude and direction, and it provides a more concise measure of the overall motion.
To further illustrate, the hiker essentially canceled out the north and south movements, as well as the west and east movements. The only remaining displacement is one unit to the east. This emphasizes the difference between distance (the total path length) and displacement (the change in position). In this scenario, the hiker's journey was circuitous, covering a distance of 4 units but ending up only 1 unit east of the starting point.