Question

Look at the below image of right angle triangle ABC.

Find the distance and displacement from A to C, if $A B = 4 km$ and $B C = 3 km$ ?

Accepted Answer

Distance is the actual path length travelled by an object in the given interval of time during the motion. It is a positive scalar quantity.

Given,

Distance between A and B, $A B = 4 km$

Distance between B and C, $BC = 3 km$

Total distance travelled between A and C $=$ Distance AB $+$ Distance BC

$∴$ Distance from A to C $= A B + B C = 4 km + 3 km = 7 km$

Displacement is the difference between the final and initial positions of the object in a given interval of time. It can also be defined as the shortest distance between these two positions of the object and its direction is from the initial to final position of the object, during the given interval of time.

Therefore, the displacement from A to C will be the hypotenuse of the triangle of the $△ A B C$ .

Pythagoras theorem states that “In a right-angled triangle, the square of the hypotenuse side is equal to the sum of squares of the other two sides".

${Hypotenuse}^{2} = {Base}^{2} + {Perpendicular}^{2} A C^{2} = A B^{2} + B C^{2} A C^{2} = 4^{2} + 3^{2} A C^{2} = 16 + 9 = 25 ∴ A C = \sqrt{25} = 5$

Hence, the distance and displacement from A to C is $7 km$ and $5 km$ .

Look at the below image of right angle triangle ABC.

Find the distance and displacement from A to C, if $A B = 4 km$ and $B C = 3 km$ ?

Important Questions on Motion and Time

Learn and Prepare for any exam you want !

Look at the below image of right angle triangle ABC. Find the distance and displacement from A to C, if AB= 4 km and BC= 3 km?

Important Questions on Motion and Time

Learn and Prepare for any exam you want !

Look at the below image of right angle triangle ABC.

Find the distance and displacement from A to C, if $A B = 4 km$ and $B C = 3 km$ ?