To find out the total number of blocks Joel would ride, we need to first determine the distance he biked away from his starting point and then the distance he biked back.
Joel biked 9 blocks East and 12 blocks North. To return to his starting point using the most direct route, he would go 9 blocks West and 12 blocks South.
Now let's calculate the total distance:
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Distance going away from the starting point:
- East: 9 blocks
- North: 12 blocks Total distance going away = 9 + 12 = 21 blocks
-
Distance to return back to the starting point:
- West: 9 blocks
- South: 12 blocks Total distance returning = 9 + 12 = 21 blocks
Therefore, the total distance Joel rides altogether is: Total distance = Distance going away + Distance returning Total distance = 21 + 21 = 42 blocks
So, the answer is: 42 blocks