Question

An ant smartly moves across a staircase taking the shortest distance. Calculate the distance it takes to reach the top to B from A given that staircase consists of 2 steps. It is also known that the length, breadth and height is 6 cm, 1cm and 1cm respectively.

Answer 1

Question: An ant smartly moves across a staircase taking the shortest distance. Calculate the distance it takes to reach the top to B from A given that staircase consists of 2 steps. It is also known that the length, breadth and height is 6 cm, 1cm and 1cm respectively.

Answer:

The shortest distance would be :

Breadth + Height -> to climb one stair.

So, for 2 stairs it will be twice of (breadth+height) = 2 * (1 + 1) = 4 cm. [Ans]

In order to climb she will not traverse the stair horizontally, but vertically i.e. breadth wise.

Answer 2

Dear Student,

Answer: 2.828 cm

Solution:

Ant moves smartly so it does not follow the steps ,as along the step's breadth and then height.

If you remember that steps formed right angle,and along the side of wall we found that hypotenuse like length is given,and thus right angle triangle we can say.

Breadth work as base, height as perpendicular and third side is hypotenuse(along the wall)

when base =1 cm and altitude = 1 cm so hypotenuse is √2 ( on applying Pythagoras Theorem)

by the same way hypotenuse of second stair
I.e. √2 cm

So in total ant walk (√2 +√2) cm to reach the top at point B.

The minimum distance covered by ant to reach from point A to B is 2√2 cm

=2.828 cm

Hope it helps you.