Question

select the correct answer. john traveled on a motorbike a distance of 1,500 meters north to get to the nearest shopping center. he then turned back south and rode another 1,450 meters to meet his friend. what was his displacement?
a. 50 meters north
b. 50 meters south
c. 100 meters
d. 50 meters

Explanation:

Step1: Define Displacement

Displacement is the straight - line distance from the initial position to the final position, considering direction. Let's take north as the positive direction and south as the negative direction.

Step2: Calculate Displacement

John's first displacement is \(d_1 = + 1500\) meters (north). His second displacement is \(d_2=- 1450\) meters (south, so negative). The total displacement \(D=d_1 + d_2\).
Substitute the values: \(D = 1500+( - 1450)=1500 - 1450 = 50\) meters. Since the result is positive, the direction is north.

Answer:

A. 50 meters north