A person walks 30m east and then 40m north. What is the difference between the travelled distance and the displacement?
Correct answer: B. 20m
- A. 0m
- B. 20m
- C. 50m
- D. 70m
Explanation
The correct answer is Option B: 20m. The person travels a total distance of 30m east and 40m north, which sums up to 70m. The displacement, being the straight-line distance between the starting and ending points, forms a right triangle with the legs of 30m and 40m. Using the Pythagorean theorem, the displacement is calculated as √(30² + 40²) = 50m. Therefore, the difference between the traveled distance and the displacement is 70m - 50m = 20m. Option A is incorrect because the displacement is not zero. Option C is incorrect because 50m is the displacement, not the difference. Option D is incorrect because 70m is the total distance traveled.
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