Reynaldo rode his bike 2 miles north and 3 miles east. Which equation should he use to find the distance, d , that takes him directly back home?
Answer
A
3 squared minus 2 squared is equal to d squared
B
d squared plus 3 squared is equal to 2 squared
C
d squared plus 2 squared is equal to 3 squared
D
2 squared plus 3 squared is equal to d squared
Explanation
The 2-mile trip north and 3-mile trip east form the two perpendicular sides of a right triangle. The direct route home, d, is the hypotenuse, so the Pythagorean theorem gives 2² + 3² = d². This is choice D.
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