What Is John's Resultant Displacement on the Highway?

[rdhddstpchld9]

While John is traveling along a straight inter-
state highway, he notices that the mile marker
reads 236 km. John travels until he reaches
the 140 km marker and then retraces his path
to the 173 km marker.
What is John’s resultant displacement from
the 236 km marker?
Answer in units of km.

I keep getting 63, but the computer says it's wrong

 

[alex3]

Displacement is a vector, it has direction as well as magnitude.

 

[kerimek]

It seems like you have the right idea, but there may be a calculation error. Let's break down the problem step by step to see if we can find the correct answer.

First, let's define some terms. Motion refers to the movement of an object from one position to another, while displacement refers to the change in an object's position from its starting point to its ending point.

In this scenario, John is traveling along a straight highway, so we can assume that his motion is in a straight line. The starting point is the 236 km marker, and the ending point is the 173 km marker. Therefore, John's displacement is the difference between these two points, which is 236 km - 173 km = 63 km.

It's important to note that displacement is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude (size or amount) and direction. In this case, John's displacement is in the negative direction, as he is traveling from a higher numbered marker (236 km) to a lower numbered marker (173 km).

So, the correct answer for John's resultant displacement from the 236 km marker is -63 km. The negative sign indicates the direction of his displacement.

I hope this helps clarify the concept of motion and displacement for you. Keep practicing and don't hesitate to ask for help if you encounter any difficulties. Good luck!