Question

A butterfly flies from the top of a tree in the center of a garden to rest on top of a red flower at the garden's edge. The tree is 9.0 m taller than the flower, and the garden is 17 m wide. Determine the magnitude of the butterfly's displacement.

Answer 1

Answer:

12.38m

Explanation:

If the garden is 17m wide and the butterfly flies from center of the garden to the garden's edge, then horizontally speaking it has flown a distance of x = 17/2 = 8.5m. Vertically speaking, it flies a distance of y = 9m. Combine both these quantities then we would have the magnitude of the butterfly's displacement as

$s^2 = x^2 + y^2 = 8.5^2 + 9^2 = 153.25$

$s = \sqrt{153.25} = 12.38 m$