Q:

Wendy runs 5 miles directly east. Then, she runs 5 miles in the opposite direction, directly west, and finishes where she started. What does 5+(βˆ’5)=0 represent in this situation? Did Wendy run 0 miles? Explain your reasoning behind both answers

Accepted Solution

A:
Answer:0 is the displacement of Wendy after the run and the total distance covered is 10 miles.Step-by-step explanation:We are given the following information in the question:Wendy runs 5 miles directly eastThen, she runs 5 miles in the opposite direction, directly west, and finishes where she started.5 + (-5) = 0 in this situation means that the displacement of Wendy is zero in this case.This does not mean that Wendy ran 0 miles.Total distance run by Wendy = 5 + 5 = 10Displacement and distance:Distance is a scalar quantity that refers to how much ground an object has covered or the distance covered by an object during its motion. Displacement is a vector quantity that refers to shortest distance between the starting and the ending point of an object during a motion.Direction plays an important role in the displacement of an object since it is a vector quantity.It is the object's overall change in position.Thus, 0 is the displacement of Wendy after the run and the total distance covered is 10 miles.