A boat travels due North at 5km/h for 3 hours, then changes course and sails due east for 2 hours, adjusting his speed to 8km/h. What is his total displacement from his original position?
- Begin by setting up the problem with a diagram. Yu should draw a right angled triangle, with currently unknown lengths.2) Calculate the distance travelled for the two parts of the journey. Use Distance = speed x time, i.e. for the first part the distance travelled will be 15km and for the second part, 16km.3) Use Pythagoras' theorem to determine the length of the hypotenuse, i.e. the total displacement. displacement = (152 + 162)1/2 = 29.1km
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