In its daily prowl of the neighborhood, a cat makes a displacement of 118 m due north, followed by a 67 m displacement due west.

(a). Find the magnitude and direction of the displacement required for the cat to return home.
^^ I already got the answer for the magnitude and direction.

(b). If, instead, the cat had first prowled 67 m west and then 118 m north, how would this affect the displacement needed to bring it home? Explain.
^^ I need HELP with this part.

Question

In its daily prowl of the neighborhood, a cat makes a displacement of 118 m due north, followed by a 67 m displacement due west.

(a). Find the magnitude and direction of the displacement required for the cat to return home.
^^ I already got the answer for the magnitude and direction.

(b). If, instead, the cat had first prowled 67 m west and then 118 m north, how would this affect the displacement needed to bring it home? Explain.
^^ I need HELP with this part.

anonymous · Answer

remember that you can write these displacements using vector notation. So since the sum is commutative (a+b=b+a) there is no change. Although the trajectories are different, the end point is the same.