Question: If a person walks 5 km north, then 3 km east, and finally 4 km south, what is the shortest distance from the starting point?
Options:
Correct Answer: 3 km
Solution:
The person ends up 2 km north and 3 km east of the starting point. Using the Pythagorean theorem, the shortest distance is β(2^2 + 3^2) = β13, which is approximately 3.6 km.