You walk 5 km north and then 12 km east.Your resultant displacement is
A)13 km at an angle of 22.6º north of east.
B)13 km at an angle of 67.4º north of east.
C)17 km at an angle of 22.6º north of east.
D)17 km at an angle of 67.4º north of east.
E)None of these is correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The resultant displacement can be found using the Pythagorean theorem, where the total displacement is the hypotenuse of a right triangle with sides of 5 km and 12 km. This gives a displacement of 13 km. The angle can be found using the tangent function: tan(θ) = opposite/adjacent = 5/12. Solving for θ gives an angle of 22.6º north of east.

You Walk 5 Km North and Then 12 Km East