In which of the following cases is the displacement's magnitude half the distance traveled?

A) 10 steps east followed by 3 steps west
B) 30 steps east followed by 15 steps west
C) 5 steps east followed by 20 steps west
D) 9 steps east followed by 3 steps west
E) 4 steps east followed by 20 steps west

Question

In which of the following cases is the displacement's magnitude half the distance traveled?
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A) 10 steps east followed by 3 steps west
B) 30 steps east followed by 15 steps west
C) 5 steps east followed by 20 steps west
D) 9 steps east followed by 3 steps west
E) ​4 steps east followed by 20 steps west

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In option D, the total distance traveled is 12 steps (9+3) and the displacement is 6 steps towards the east (9-3). The magnitude of the displacement is half the distance traveled (|6| = 1/2 * 12).

In Which of the Following Cases Is the Displacement's Magnitude