SOLUTION: Two cars leaveba house in California. One of the car travels 6km east and 8km north. The second car travels 12km south anf then 9km west. How far apart are the cars? Thanks.

Question 1065349: Two cars leaveba house in California. One of the car travels 6km east and 8km north. The second car travels 12km south anf then 9km west. How far apart are the cars? Thanks.
Answer by josmiceli(19441) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If the house is at the center of a grid with
1 unit = 1 km, then the given distances
are:
y1 = 8
x1 = 6
and
y2 = -12
x2 = -9
-----------
They form right triangles that are proportional
to 3:4:5 triangles
y1 = 2*4
x1 = 2*3
d1 = 2*5
and
y2 = 3*(-4 )
x2 = 3*(-3 )
d2 = 3*(-5 )
------------------
The d's are the resultant vectors for each trip
If the angle that each d vector makes with x-axis
is the same, then the vectors are pointing in
opposite directions, and I can add them to get
total distance.

So I can just add the vectors
The cars are km apart
--------------------------------------
Hope this makes sense
Get another opinion, too

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