Question

problem: g
you start driving west for 5 miles, turn left, and drive south for another 8 miles. at the end of driving, what is your straight line distance from your starting point? round to the nearest tenth of a mile.

Explanation:

Step1: Identify right - triangle sides

The west - ward and south - ward drives form two legs of a right - triangle. Let $a = 5$ miles and $b = 8$ miles.

Step2: Apply Pythagorean theorem

The Pythagorean theorem for a right - triangle is $c=\sqrt{a^{2}+b^{2}}$, where $c$ is the hypotenuse (the straight - line distance from the starting point). Substitute $a = 5$ and $b = 8$ into the formula: $c=\sqrt{5^{2}+8^{2}}=\sqrt{25 + 64}=\sqrt{89}$.

Step3: Calculate and round

$\sqrt{89}\approx9.4$ miles.

Answer:

9.4