Question

Calculate the displacement of a mouse walking along a ruler. The mouse begins at the position x=5cm, then walks to the position x=12cm, and finally walks a 8cm in the negative direction​

Answer 1

Answer:

Let the mouse be at point A which is marked as 5 cm on the scale.

Now the mouse begins to walk towards point B which is 12 cm on the scale.

This is nothing but a distance of ( 12 - 5 ) cm in the positive direction.

Hence the mouse has traversed 7 cm in the positive direction.

Now it is given that the mouse is walking 8 cm towards the negative direction. This means it is walking -8 units from Point B which is 12 cm on the scale.

Hence the final point C is: ( 12 - 8 ) = 4 cm on the scale.

Now we are asked to find the displacement of the mouse along the ruler.

We know that, displacement is the shortest distance between the initial and final point.

Here, the mouse started from 'A' which is 5 cm on the ruler and finished at 'C' which is 4 cm on the ruler.

Hence the displacement is:

⇒ Final Distance - Initial Distance

⇒ 4 cm - 5 cm

⇒ -1 cm

Here, the negative sign implies opposite direction.

Hence the displacement of the mouse walking along the ruler is -1 cm.