Question:medium

A woman leaves her home. She walks 40 m in North-West direction and then 90 m in South-East direction. Then, she moves 30 m in North direction. How far is she now from her initial position?

Updated On: May 1, 2026
  • 30 m
  • 60 m
  • 40 m

  • 50 m

Show Solution

The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

To calculate the woman's final distance from her starting position, we will analyze her movements using vector displacements.

Step 1: Her first movement is 40 m North-West. This can be resolved into:

  • Northward component: \( \frac{40}{\sqrt{2}} \) m
  • Westward component: \( \frac{40}{\sqrt{2}} \) m

Step 2: Her second movement is 90 m South-East. This can be resolved into:

  • Southward component: \( \frac{90}{\sqrt{2}} \) m
  • Eastward component: \( \frac{90}{\sqrt{2}} \) m

Step 3: Her third movement is 30 m North. We now sum the north-south displacements:

\(\frac{40}{\sqrt{2}} + 30 - \frac{90}{\sqrt{2}}\)

= \( \frac{40\sqrt{2} + 30\sqrt{2} - 90\sqrt{2}}{2} \)

= \( \frac{-20\sqrt{2}}{2} \)

= \(-10\sqrt{2}\) m South

For the east-west movements:

\(-\frac{40}{\sqrt{2}} + \frac{90}{\sqrt{2}}\)

= \( \frac{90\sqrt{2} - 40\sqrt{2}}{2} \)

= \( \frac{50\sqrt{2}}{2} \)

= 25\sqrt{2}\) m East

Her net displacement is \(-10\sqrt{2}\) m South and \(25\sqrt{2}\) m East from her starting point. The resultant distance from the starting point is calculated as:

\(\sqrt{(-10\sqrt{2})^2 + (25\sqrt{2})^2}\)

= \(\sqrt{200 + 1250}\)

= \(\sqrt{1450}\)

= \( \sqrt{25 \times 58} \)

= \(5\sqrt{58}\approx 40.63\) m

Therefore, the closest value among the options is 40 m.

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