Answer:
20
Step-by-step explanation:
The sides of the park measure 30 m and 40 m. They form the sides of a rectangle. The length of the path is along the length and width of the park, so by going along the path, the distance is
30 m + 40 m = 70 m
Going through the park, you walk in a straight line from the park to the home along a diagonal of the rectangle. That diagonal is a hypotenuse of a right triangle whose sides measure 30 m and 40 m. We use the Pythagorean theorem to find the length of the diagonal.
a^2 + b^2 = c^2
Let the legs of the right triangle be a and b. Let the hypotenuse be c.
(30 m)^2 + (40 m)^2 = c^2
900 m^2 + 1600 m^2 = c^2
c^2 = 2500 m^2
Take the square root of each side.
c = 50 m
The direct path from the school to the house is 50 m.
Difference: 70 m - 50 m = 20 m
Answer: You save 20 m.
