Question

A particle moves 3m north, then 4m east and finally 6m south, calculate the distance travelled and the displacement

Answer 1

Distance = 3 + 4 + 6 = 13 m. Displacement is AB = under root 4 square + 3 square = 5m

Answer 2

The particle travels from a to b to c to finally, d. The displacement will be the distance from initial to final points or, from a to d.

Thus, in triangle aa'd by using pythagoras theorem



ad^2 = 3^2 +4^2 = 25

thus, displacement, ad = 5 m

the total distance travelled will be equal to ab + bc + cd = 3m + 4m + 6m

or

distance = 13 m