What is the distance covered here?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the resultant displacement and total distance traveled by a girl delivering newspapers. The girl travels 9 blocks west, 4 blocks north, and 3 blocks east. The total distance covered is definitively calculated as 16 blocks. The correct resultant displacement, determined using the Pythagorean theorem, is approximately 7.07 blocks, representing the shortest distance between her starting and ending points.

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Homework Statement


A girl delivering newspapers covers her route by traveling 9.00 blocks west, 4.00 blocks north, and then 3.00 blocks east. (a) What is her resultant displacement? (b) What is the total distance she travels?


Homework Equations


(a) displacement (change in X) = Xfinal - Xinitial



The Attempt at a Solution


(a) displacement = 3 blocks - 9 blocks = -6 blocks
(b) distance = 9 blocks + 4 blocks + 3 blocks = 16 blocks

My displacement answer is wrong and I don't what other equation to use
 
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In this diagram, can you see what the displacement is; and how to calculate its value?

displacement.png
 


Consider the diagram above. The moves 9blocks towards west, then 4 blocks towards north and another 3 blocks towards east. Now the displacement of the the girl is the shortest distance between the initial and final points which is represented by the dotted line in th diagram. Therefore the displacement of the girl is √52 >7.
 

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