A farmer moves along the boundary of a square field of side 10 metre i...
Problem:
A farmer moves along the boundary of a square field of side 10 meter in 40 seconds. What will be the magnitude of displacement of the farmer at the end of 2 minutes 20 seconds?
Solution:
Step 1: Calculate the distance travelled by the farmer in 40 seconds
The length of one side of the square field is 10 meters. Therefore, the perimeter of the field is 4 x 10 = 40 meters. The farmer covers this distance in 40 seconds.
Hence, the speed of the farmer = Distance/Time = 40/40 = 1 meter/second
Therefore, the distance travelled by the farmer in 40 seconds = Speed x Time = 1 x 40 = 40 meters.
Step 2: Calculate the time taken by the farmer to complete 2 minutes 20 seconds
2 minutes 20 seconds = 2 x 60 + 20 = 140 seconds
Step 3: Calculate the number of rounds completed by the farmer in 2 minutes 20 seconds
The farmer completes one round of the square field in 40 seconds.
Therefore, the number of rounds completed by the farmer in 140 seconds = 140/40 = 3 (approx)
Step 4: Calculate the total distance travelled by the farmer in 2 minutes 20 seconds
The farmer completes 3 rounds of the square field in 2 minutes 20 seconds.
Therefore, the total distance travelled by the farmer = Distance covered in one round x Number of rounds completed = 40 x 3 = 120 meters
Step 5: Calculate the magnitude of the displacement of the farmer
The farmer starts and ends at the same point. Therefore, the displacement of the farmer is the distance between the initial and final positions.
As the farmer has completed three rounds of the square field, the final position of the farmer will be on the third side of the square field, which is perpendicular to the initial side.
The length of this side is 10 meters.
Therefore, the displacement of the farmer = 10 meters (as the farmer has moved in a straight line from the initial position to the final position)
Step 6: Write the final answer
The magnitude of the displacement of the farmer at the end of 2 minutes 20 seconds is 10 meters.