Answer:
22 meters.
Step-by-step explanation:
There is a pond between two points A and B.
To avoid the pond, one must walk to the south from point A to point C (say) by 34 meters and then to the east from point C to point B by 41 meters.
Now, it is clear that Δ ABC is a right triangle with AB as the hypotenuse that is the minimum distance from A to B through the pond.
The two legs of the right triangle are AC and CB.
Applying Pythagoras Theorem, AB² = AC² + CB² = 34² + 41² = 2837
⇒ AB = 53 meters (Rounded to the nearest meter)
Therefore, (34 + 41) - 53 = 22 meters will be saved if it were possible to walk through the pond. (Answer)
