SOLUTION: Suppose you need to walk from a point P to a Point Q. You can either walk in a line from P to Q or you can walk in a line from P to another point R and then walk in a line from R t

Algebra.Com
Question 577000: Suppose you need to walk from a point P to a Point Q. You can either walk in a line from P to Q or you can walk in a line from P to another point R and then walk in a line from R to Q. Which one is shorter? Please provide proof!
Answer by richard1234(7193)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Walk directly from P to Q (I believe this comes from one of Euler's postulates that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line). There are many proofs, some involving basic geometry, others involving vectors, others involving calculus.
RELATED QUESTIONS

Please help me with this problem: You are on a island in Lake Mercedes two miles from... (answered by josgarithmetic)
A man is on a lake in a canoe one kilometer from the closest point P of a straight shore... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
A can walk from p to q and back in 20 minutes, whereas b can walk from q to p and back in (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
Two men A and B walk from P to Q a distance of 'D' at S1 and S2 km per hour. B reaches... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
You are in a boat a miles from the nearest point on the coast (see figure). You are to go (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
Hi i am really struggling to know how to answer one of my questions, in my SAC booklet... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
A man start from P and walk 8km on a bearing of 70 degree. He then walk 12km on the... (answered by Boreal)
Write the argument below in symbols to determine whether it is valid or invalid. State a... (answered by Theo)