Question

A girl delivering newspapers covers her route by traveling 8.00 blocks west, 4.00 blocks north, and then 2.00 blocks east.
(a) What is her resultant displacement?
(b) What is the total distance she travels?

Answer 1

In the x-(east-)direction:
dx=-8+2=-6
In the y-(north-)direction:
dy=4
The resultant displacement is 6 blocks west and 4 blocks north.
Note: displacement is a vector, so it's the final and initial locations that count.

B. The total distance is 8+2+4=14 blocks.
Note: distance is not a vector, so we add up the absolute value of each leg.

Answer 2

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