Randall D. Knight — Vectors and Coordinate Systems: Problem 31

Ruth sets out to visit her friend Ward, who lives 50 mi north and 100 mi east of her. She starts by driving east, but after 30 mi she comes to a detour that takes her 15 mi south before going east again. She then drives east for 8 mi and runs out of gas, so Ward flies there in his small plane to get her. What is Ward’s displacement vector? Give your answer (a) in component form, using a coordinate system in which the y-axis points north, and (b) as a magnitude and direction.