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A bird flies 13 miles west, then turns and flies 3 miles east. What is true about the flight?

The distance was 10 miles and the displacement was 10 miles west.

O The distance was 16 miles and the displacement was 16 miles west.

The distance was 16 miles and the displacement was 10 miles west.

OThe distance was 13 miles and the displacement was 3 miles west.

1 answer

To find the distance and displacement for the bird's flight, we need to analyze both concepts:

  1. Distance is the total length of the path traveled, regardless of direction.
  2. Displacement is the overall change in position, considering the direction.

In this scenario:

  • The bird flies 13 miles west.
  • Then it turns and flies 3 miles east.

Calculating the distance:

  • The total distance traveled = 13 miles (west) + 3 miles (east) = 16 miles.

Calculating the displacement:

  • Displacement is found by taking the starting point as zero. After flying 13 miles west, the bird is at -13 miles (if we represent west as negative). When it flies 3 miles east, it moves towards zero, resulting in a position of -10 miles (13 miles west - 3 miles east = 10 miles west).

Thus:

  • The total distance is 16 miles.
  • The displacement is 10 miles west.

Based on these calculations, the correct statement is:

The distance was 16 miles and the displacement was 10 miles west.