A truck moves 36 km North, then 9 km West, then 50 km South, and then 9 km East. What is the truck's final position relative to i…

Question

A truck moves 36 km North, then 9 km West, then 50 km South, and then 9 km East. What is the truck's final position relative to its starting point?

1. A. 14 km South (Correct answer)
2. B. 14 km West
3. C. 14 km North
4. D. 14 km East

Correct Answer

Option A — 14 km South

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is 14 km South.

Key Points

• Resolve the truck's path into north–south and east–west components.
• Moves: 36 km North, 9 km West, 50 km South, 9 km East.
• North–South axis: 36 North − 50 South = 14 km South (south wins by 14).
• East–West axis: 9 West − 9 East = 0 (they cancel).
• So the truck's final position is 14 km due South of its starting point.
• add displacements along each axis with sign — North and East positive, South and West negative (or vice versa).
• When one axis nets to zero (here the 9 km West and 9 km East), the displacement lies entirely along the other axis.

Exam Tip

• these questions are pure bookkeeping; make a two-column table (N–S and E–W), fill each move, and read off the two nets.
• The larger southward total here (50 vs 36) tells you the final direction is South.