A truck travels 20 miles due north', 30 miles due east , and then 20 miles due north. How many miles is the truck from the starting point.?
20.3
70
44.7
50
20.3
70
44.7
50
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Time distance question... Please help
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Brent@GMATPrepNow
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Altogether, the truck drove 40 miles north and 30 miles east.Mary.006 wrote:A truck travels 20 miles due north', 30 miles due east , and then 20 miles due north. How many miles is the truck from the starting point.?
20.3
70
44.7
50
So, 30 and 40 represent the two LEGS of a right triangle.
The truck's distance from the starting point (i.e., the hypotenuse) can be found using the Pythagorean Theorem.
30² + 40² = hypotenuse²
900 + 1600 = hypotenuse²
2500 = hypotenuse²
So, hypotenuse = 50
Answer: D
ALTERNATIVELY, we might recognize that this right triangle is an ENLARGED version of a 3-4-5 right triangle. This new right triangle is 10 TIMES as big as the 3-4-5 right triangle. So, the lengths are 30-40-50, meaning that the hypotenuse has length 50
Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Brent@GMATPrepNow wrote:Altogether, the truck drove 40 miles north and 30 miles east.Mary.006 wrote:A truck travels 20 miles due north', 30 miles due east , and then 20 miles due north. How many miles is the truck from the starting point.?
20.3
70
44.7
50
So, 30 and 40 represent the two LEGS of a right triangle.
The truck's distance from the starting point (i.e., the hypotenuse) can be found using the Pythagorean Theorem.
30² + 40² = hypotenuse²
900 + 1600 = hypotenuse²
2500 = hypotenuse²
So, hypotenuse = 50
Answer: D
ALTERNATIVELY, we might recognize that this right triangle is an ENLARGED version of a 3-4-5 right triangle. This new right triangle is 10 TIMES as big as the 3-4-5 right triangle. So, the lengths are 30-40-50, meaning that the hypotenuse has length 50
Cheers,
Brent
Thank you for the clear explanation. Appreciate your reply.
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GMATinsight
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Mary.006 wrote:A truck travels 20 miles due north', 30 miles due east , and then 20 miles due north. How many miles is the truck from the starting point.?
20.3
70
44.7
50
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