EK Physics #1

[mcatmaster]

Can someone explain why there are three perpendicular directions?
Q. A weather balloon travels upward for 6km while the wind blows it 10 km north and 8km east. Approximately what is its final displacement from its initial position?

Ans. 14 km

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[MCATMadness]

where does this problem come from?

 

[Rabolisk]

We are in 3-dimensional space. You can go up and down (altitude, z), north-south , and east-west (x). Displacement is sqrt (dx^2 + dy^2 + dz^2) = sqrt (8^2 + 10^2 + 6^2) = 14.142 km = 14 km.