Two children start at one end of a street, the origin, run to the other end, then head back. On the way back Joan is ahead of Mike. Which statement is correct about the distances run and the displacements from the origin?
A) Joan has run a greater distance and her displacement is greater than Mike's.
B) Mike has run a greater distance and his displacement is greater than Joan's.
C) Joan has run a greater distance, but her displacement is less than Mike's.
D) Mike has run a greater distance, but his displacement is less than Joan's.
E) Mike has run a shorter distance, and his displacement is less than Joan's.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the two children start and end at the same point, their displacement from the origin is zero. However, since Joan is ahead of Mike on the way back, she had to run a greater distance than him to get there. This means that Joan has run a greater distance, but her displacement is less than Mike's.

Two Children Start at One End of a Street, the Origin