Question

Tivo cars leave the same parking lot, with one heading north and the other heading east. After

several minutes, the eastbound car has traveled 4 miles. If the two cars are now a straight-line
distance of 5 miles apart, how far has the northbound car traveled?

Answer 1

The northbound car has traveled a distance of 3 miles.

Explanation:

Step 1:

The eastbound car has traveled a distance of 4 miles and if a straight line is drawn between the two car's positions it would measure 5 miles.

This forms a triangle which has a hypotenuse measuring 5 miles while one of the other sides measures 4 miles.

Assume the distance traveled by the northbound car is x miles.

Step 2:

According to Pythagoras' theorem,

`5^(2) = 4^(2) +x^(2), x^(2) = 5^(2) -4^(2) =9.`

`x^(2) =9, x=3.`

So the northbound car has traveled a distance of 3 miles.