Michaela is planning a trip in Ireland from Killarney to Cork to visit Blarney Castle. She also wants to visit Fermoy which is located 86 km due east of Killarney and 27 km due north of Cork. Draw the displacement vectors for the trip when she travels from Killarney to Fermoy to Cork.

Question

Michaela is planning a trip in Ireland from Killarney to Cork to visit Blarney Castle. She also wants to visit Fermoy which is located 86 km due east of Killarney and 27 km due north of Cork. Draw the displacement vectors for the trip when she travels from Killarney to Fermoy to Cork.
(a) What is the magnitude of her displacement once she reaches Cork?  put in (km)

(b) How much additional distance does Michaela travel in going to Cork by way of Fermoy instead of going directly from Killarney to Cork?

Damon · Answer

right triangle start at Killarney horizontal leg = 86 East (+x) to Femroy vertical leg = 27 South (-y) from Femroy sum = 86 + 27 going directly = sqrt (86^2+27^2) (the hypotenuse)