Jackson walked 12 meters due west and 5 meters due north. How far is he from the starting point?

Question

12 m
13 m
18 m
21 m

Answer 1

To find the distance from the starting point, we can use the Pythagorean theorem. The Pythagorean theorem states that the square of the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.

In this case, we have a right triangle with one leg measuring 12 meters and the other leg measuring 5 meters. Let's call the distance from the starting point x.

Using the Pythagorean theorem, we can write the equation:

x^2 = 12^2 + 5^2
x^2 = 144 + 25
x^2 = 169
x = √169
x = 13

Therefore, Jackson is 13 meters from the starting point.

So, the correct answer is 13 m.