In an orienteering class, you have the goal of moving from base camp as possible by making 3 straight line moves. You may use the following displacements in any order: (a) a, 2.0 km due east (directly east) (b). 2.0 km 30º north of east (at an angle of 30º toward the north from due east) (c). 1.0 km due west. What's the greatest distance you can be from base camp at the end of the 3rd displacement.

Ans = 4.8 m but I don't know why? Can't you just add the vectors? But i got 3.0 m (I did d= a + b - c)

Question

In an orienteering class, you have the goal of moving from base camp as possible by making 3 straight line moves. You may use the following displacements in any order: (a) a, 2.0 km due east (directly east) (b). 2.0 km 30º north of east (at an angle of 30º toward the north from due east) (c). 1.0 km due west. What's the greatest distance you can be from base camp at the end of the 3rd displacement.

Ans = 4.8 m but I don't know why? Can't you just add the vectors? But i got 3.0 m (I did d= a + b - c)

anonymous · Answer

If you add the vectors, it looks like this:
|dw:1326618281885:dw|