Question

An explorer walks 21.2 kmdue east, then 18.23 km north, and finally 9.5 km west.

19. What is the total distance walked?
20. What is the resulting displacement of the explorer from the starting point?

Answer 1

48.93km = distance 22km = displacement

Step-by-step explanation

to find distance add all of them up

21.2 + 18.23 + 9.5 = 48.93km

distance is just the total amount traveled, displacement on the other hand is how far away you are from the starting place.

To find displacement you want to basically create a triangle. Lets say you have x and y (vertical) axis. you got 21.2 along x and -9.5 along x so that is a total of 11.7 along x axis.

then you move 18.23 along the y axis. Draw a triangle using 11.7 and 18.23 and find the hypotenuse.

to do this use Pythagorean theorem which is c^2 = a^2 + b^2

so 11.7^2+18.23^2 = 469.2229, then take the square root of that and you get 21.661km or 22km with sig figs.

hope this makes sense!