Question

A person walks in the following pattern: 4.8 km north, then 1.3 km west, and finally 1.5 km south. Construct the vector diagram that represents this motion and from it judge how far and in what direction a bird would fly in a straight line from the same starting point to the same final point. (Choose east as the +x direction.)

Answer 1

the distance d is found by

d^2 = (4.8-1.5)^2 + 1.3^2

Answer 2

How do you find the direction (in degrees). I said 21.5 degrees originally, but that was wrong

Answer 3

Your angle of 21.5° is right, but if you draw the diagram, you will see that the bird is roughly NW, so it must fly roughly SE.

So, it is really -21.5° (relative to the x-axis), or a heading of 111.5° from due North.