Question

two cars leave the same parking lot, with one heading north and the other heading east. after several minutes, the northbound car has traveled 8.7 kilometers, and the eastbound car has traveled 3.6 kilometers. measured in a straight line, how far apart are the two cars? if necessary, round to the nearest tenth. kilometers

Explanation:

Step1: Apply Pythagorean theorem

Let $d$ = straight-line distance, $a=8.7$, $b=3.6$. Formula: $d = \sqrt{a^2 + b^2}$

Step2: Calculate squared distances

$8.7^2 = 75.69$, $3.6^2 = 12.96$

Step3: Sum squared distances

$75.69 + 12.96 = 88.65$

Step4: Compute square root

$d = \sqrt{88.65} \approx 9.4$

Answer:

9.4 kilometers