SEARCH HOME
Math CentralQuandaries & Queries

search

Question from priya, a student:

a boy starts travelling from his house to his school. He travels 1 km east and then
2km north and then 1 km East and 1km North and then 1 km east and then 1 km North.
find out the shortest distance for him to reach his school?

I was trying using Pythagoras theorem but my answer was wrong please help me regarding this
you will be more helpful if u solve this........

Hi Priya,

I also used Pythagoras theorem.

street map

The boy has gone 3 km east and 4 km north so the shortest distance from the boy to the school is

√(32 + 42) = √25 = 5 km

Is this the answer given?

Harley

About Math Central
 

 


Math Central is supported by the University of Regina and The Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences.
Quandaries & Queries page Home page University of Regina PIMS