document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=355199>Question 355199</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Two cars start at the same point and drive in a straight line for 5km. At the end of the drive their distances are the same but their displacement is not. Explain.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Sounds like they drove the same distance in the same direction, how could their displacement not be the same? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #253750 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Fombitz><B>Fombitz(32388)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Fombitz><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Fombitz><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=253750\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Displacement is a vector quantity. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "Distance is the magnitude of displacement and is a scalar quantity.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "For the displacement to be identical both the magntitude(distance) and the direction of displacement must be identical. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "For example, imagine two cars leave (0,0). One goes 5 miles East (positive x).<BR>\n" );
document.write( "One goes 5 miles North (positive y). <BR>\n" );
document.write( "Their distance is both 5 miles. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "But Car A's displacement is 5 miles east while Car B's is 5 miles north, which are not identical.   </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );