Problema Solution

A local fisherman's lobster trap is located 1 miles south and 3 miles east of a small island. The fisherman is in his boat located 3 miles south of the island and 10 miles east of the island. Approximately how far is the fisherman from his lobster trap?

Answer provided by our tutors

make a drawing and use Pythagorean theorem


the distance d between the fisherman and the lobster trap is the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs 2 miles and 7 miles


d^2 = 2^2 + 7^2


d^2 = 4 + 49


d^2 = 53


d = 7.28 mi