Question

A bicyclist rides 11.2 kilometerseast and then 5.3 kilometers south.What is the magnitude of thebicyclist's resultant vector?

Answer 1

GIVEN

The cyclist rides 11.2 kilometers east and then 5.3 kilometers south.

SOLUTION

The diagram is shown below:

The magnitude of the resultant can be calculated using the formula:

$R=\sqrt{11.2^2+5.3^2}$

Solve the equation for R:

$\begin{gathered} R=12.39 \\ R\approx12.4\text{ km} \end{gathered}$

Therefore, the resultant vector is 12.4 kilometers.