Final answer:
The total displacement of a student moving from class to locker to another class is the magnitude of the change in position, not the sum of the distances traveled along the path.
Step-by-step explanation:
When calculating the total displacement of a student moving from class to locker to the next class, it is critical to understand the difference between displacement and distance traveled. Displacement is the change in position of an object and is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. The total displacement is the magnitude of the change in position, which is independent of the path taken.
To put it simply, if a student starts at one point and ends at another, regardless of the path taken or the individual distances covered between points, the displacement is the direct path from start to end position.
Therefore, when the student moves from class to their locker and onto the next class, the total displacement is not the sum of the distances traveled but the magnitude of the change in position, which corresponds to option (b) in the question provided.