SOLUTION: Dan drove 9 miles south and 12 miles east. What is the shortest distance to his starting point?

Question 1021842: Dan drove 9 miles south and 12 miles east. What is the shortest distance to his starting point?

Answer by Cromlix(4381) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Hi there,
Driving 9 miles South
and 12 miles East.
Think of a right angled
triangle.
Upright part = 9 miles South
Base = 12 miles East
The shortest distance back
home for Dan is the hypotenuse
which is the line that connects
where Dan drove to and his starting
point.
Hypotenuse = Upright part^2 + base^2
Hypotenuse^2 = 9^2 + 12^2
Hypotenuse = 225
Hypotenuse = √225
Hypotenuse = 15 miles.
Hope this helps :-)
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