Question

Student bikes to school by traveling first dN = 1.10 miles north, then dW = 0.300 miles west, and finally dS = 0.200 miles south.
Part A
Take the north direction as the positive y direction and east as positive x. The origin is still where the student starts biking. Let d⃗ N be the displacement vector corresponding to the first leg of the student's trip. Express d⃗ N in component form.

Answer 1

Taking the vertical component of the displacement
1.1 - 0.2 = 0.9 mile
The horizontal component of the displacement
-0.3 mile

The magnitude of the displacement is
√[ (0.9)² + (-0.3) ] = 0.95 mile

The direction is
θ = tan-1 (-0.3/0.9)
θ = 161.57 degrees.