M and N start from the same location.M travels 10km east and then 10km...
Calculating the Shortest Distance between M and N
Given that M travels 10km east and then 10km north east and N travels 5km east and then 4km south east, we need to calculate the shortest distance between M and N at the end of their travel.
Step 1: Plotting the Points
The first step is to plot the points where M and N end up after their respective travels. Let's assume that the starting point is (0,0) for both M and N.
- After traveling 10km east, M ends up at (10,0).
- After traveling 5km east, N ends up at (5,0).
- After traveling 10km north east, M ends up at (10,10).
- After traveling 4km south east, N ends up at (9,-4).
Step 2: Calculating the Distance
Now that we have the coordinates where M and N end up, we can calculate the distance between them using the Pythagorean theorem.
The distance between M and N is the hypotenuse of the right triangle formed by the line segment connecting their endpoints. We can calculate the length of the legs of the triangle using the coordinates:
- The length of one leg is the difference in x-coordinates: 10 - 5 = 5.
- The length of the other leg is the difference in y-coordinates: 10 - (-4) = 14.
Using the Pythagorean theorem, we can calculate the length of the hypotenuse:
distance = sqrt(5^2 + 14^2) = 14.87 km (approx)
Step 3: Conclusion
Therefore, the shortest distance between M and N at the end of their travel is approximately 14.87 km.