A person walks in the following pattern: 2.9 km north, then 1.9 km west, and finally 8.0 km south. How far and in what direction would a bird fly in a straight line from the same starting point to the same final point?

Answer 1

Add the displacements.

d=2.9km N + 1.9km W -8km N

then you have a N, and a W component.

direction=arc tan Ecomponent/Ncomponent (as measured clockwise from N).

magnitude: sqrt(N^2 + E^2)