Melissa walked around a square block. Each side of the block is 210 meters on each side. What is the magnitude of the displacement for Melissa's one trip around the block.

Question

Melissa walked around a square block.  Each side of the block is 210 meters on each side.  What is the magnitude of the displacement for Melissa's one trip around the block.

anonymous · Answer

does she end up in the same place she started?

anonymous · Answer

yes, so it would be 210?

anonymous · Answer

well displacement isn't necessarily the distance she walked, (which would be 210x4, because she walked around all four sides), but the distance between where she started and where she ended, irrespective of how much she walks

anonymous · Answer

so if she starts and ends in the same place, what is the distance between her starting and ending spots?

anonymous · Answer

lol i'm so confused, if it's not 210 i dont know what it would be

anonymous · Answer

@ramiva

anonymous · Answer

so if she starts on one corner and walks all the way around the block and comes back to the exact same corner, how far away is she from where she started?

anonymous · Answer

the same distance! or double

anonymous · Answer

the same distance as what?

anonymous · Answer

the same distance as before. why isn't it 210?

anonymous · Answer

i honestly feel so dumb lol im not im just not understanding i guess

anonymous · Answer

Its not about how far she walks, that pretty much irrelevant to the question, the issue is how far she is from where she started. If she starts on one corner and walks around the block and comes back to the exact same spot on the exact same corner, how far away is she from her starting spot?

anonymous · Answer

this might be easier with a picture

anonymous · Answer

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