Question

you start driving east for 14 miles, turn left, and drive north for another 6 miles. at the end of driving, what is your straight line distance from your starting point? round to the nearest tenth of a mile.
answer
mi
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Explanation:

Step1: Identify right triangle sides

The eastward drive ($14$ mi) and northward drive ($6$ mi) are the legs of a right triangle; the straight-line distance is the hypotenuse.

Step2: Apply Pythagorean theorem

Let $d$ = straight-line distance. Use $d = \sqrt{a^2 + b^2}$, where $a=14$, $b=6$.
$$d = \sqrt{14^2 + 6^2} = \sqrt{196 + 36} = \sqrt{232}$$

Step3: Calculate and round value

Compute $\sqrt{232} \approx 15.2315$; round to nearest tenth.

Answer:

15.2 mi