Final answer:
The total displacement of the car is 214.5 miles east, and the total distance traveled is also 214.5 miles since the car only traveled in an eastward direction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question addresses two concepts: total displacement and distance traveled by a car. Displacement is a vector quantity that refers to how far out of place an object is; it is the object's overall change in position. Distance is a scalar quantity that implies how much ground an object has covered during its motion.
For the first part of the trip, the car travels east at 35 mph for 1.5 hours. The distance covered is calculated as:
Distance = Speed × Time = 35 mph × 1.5 hr = 52.5 miles.
For the second part of the trip, the car increases its speed to 45 mph for 3.6 hours. The distance for this part is:
Distance = Speed × Time = 45 mph × 3.6 hr = 162 miles.
The total distance the car has traveled is the sum of both parts:
Total Distance = 52.5 miles + 162 miles = 214.5 miles.
Since the car has only traveled eastward, the total displacement is the same as the total distance, which is 214.5 miles east.