A car drives 16 miles south and then 12 miles west. What is the magnitude of the car’s displacement?

The southward and westward legs are perpendicular, so they form the two legs of a right triangle. Use the Pythagorean theorem: displacement = √(16² + 12²) = √400 = 20 miles. The correct choice is 20 miles; 28 miles would be the total distance traveled, not the displacement.

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