A train travels due east for a distance of 120km. It then turns due south and travels 230km. Calculate the train’s displacement relative to its starting point
To calculate the train's displacement, we can treat the eastward and southward distances as the two legs of a right triangle. The displacement is the hypotenuse of this right triangle.
Using the Pythagorean theorem, which states that the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides, we can calculate the displacement as follows:
Displacement = sqrt((120^2) + (230^2))
Displacement = sqrt(14400 + 52900)
Displacement = sqrt(67300)
Displacement ≈ 259.45 km
Therefore, the train's displacement relative to its starting point is approximately 259.45 km.