Question

A personwalks along the path of a recta gle from point p to r . p to q is 5km and q to r is 2km. find distance travelled by the person and magnitude of the displacement of the person.​

Answer 1

Appropriate Question:

A person walks along the path of a rectangle PQRS, from point P to R . Length of P to Q is 5km and Q to R is 2km. Find distance travelled by the person and magnitude of the displacement of the person.

Answer:

Distance travelled = 7 km

Displacement = 5.38 km

Explanation:

Calculating distance travelled :

Distance travelled is the total length of the path covered by the body.

⇒ Distance travelled = Total length of the path covered by the body

⇒ Distance travelled = PQ + QR

⇒ Distance travelled = 5 km + 2 km

⇒ Distance travelled = 7 km

∴ Distance travelled by the person is 7 km.

$\rule{200}2$

Calculating displacement :

Displacement is the shortest distance from the initial position to the final position. Here, initial position is point P and final position is point R. The shortest distance between two points is always a straight line. So, PR or the diagonal of the the path of rectangle is the displacement.

By using Pythagoras property,

⇒ H² = B² + P²

• H = PR
• B = PQ
• P = QR

⇒ (PR)² = (5 km)² + (2 km)²

⇒ PR² = 25 km² + 4 km²

⇒ PR² = 29 km²

⇒ PR = √(29 km²)

⇒ PR = 5.38 km

∴ Magnitude of displacement of the person is 5.38 km.

$\rule{200}2$

Learn More :

• Distance is the total length of the path covered by the body.
• It is a scalar quantity.
• It is denoted by s.
• Its SI unit is m (metre).
• Displacement is the shortest distance from initial position to final position of the body.
• It is a vector quantity.
• It is denoted by s.
• Its SI unit is m (metre).