Using a rightangled triangle draw and solve, a rocket travels a distance of 4m southwards and 3m westwards, determine the magnitude
To solve for the magnitude of the displacement, we can use the Pythagorean theorem.
The Pythagorean theorem states that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.
In this case, the rocket travels 4m southwards and 3m westwards. We can draw a right-angled triangle with the vertical side representing the 4m southward displacement and the horizontal side representing the 3m westward displacement.
Let's label the vertical side as 'a' and the horizontal side as 'b'. The hypotenuse, which represents the magnitude of the displacement, can be labeled as 'c'.
Using the Pythagorean theorem, we have:
c^2 = a^2 + b^2
Substituting the given values, we have:
c^2 = 4^2 + 3^2
c^2 = 16 + 9
c^2 = 25
Taking the square root of both sides, we have:
c = √25
c = 5
Therefore, the magnitude of the displacement of the rocket is 5 meters.