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Multiple Choice
A person walks km east and then km north. What is the magnitude of the resultant displacement from the starting point?
A
km
B
km
C
km
D
km
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Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the two displacement vectors: one is 4 km east and the other is 3 km north. These two displacements are perpendicular to each other.
Represent the displacements as vectors along the x-axis (east) and y-axis (north). So, the displacement vector components are \(4\ \text{km}\) in the x-direction and \(3\ \text{km}\) in the y-direction.
To find the magnitude of the resultant displacement, use the Pythagorean theorem because the two displacements form a right-angled triangle.
Write the formula for the magnitude of the resultant displacement \(R\) as:
\(R = \sqrt{(4)^2 + (3)^2}\)
Calculate the square of each component, sum them, and then take the square root to find the magnitude of the resultant displacement.