Question & Answer » Mathematics Questions » Meeru had lost her way home and was standing 25 meters away from her house in the southwest direction. She walks 20 meters north and reaches point A. How far and in which direction would she have to walk to reach her house?

Meeru had lost her way home and was standing 25 meters away from her house in the southwest direction. She walks 20 meters north and reaches point A. How far and in which direction would she have to walk to reach her house?

Answer: Given that Meeru is presently 25 meters away from her house in the southwest direction and walks 20 meters north to reach A. This forms a right-angled triangle and using the Pythagoras theorem her present distance (say x) from the house can be calculated. 

X2 + 202 = 252

Or, X2 = 625 – 400 = 225 

Or, X = 15 meters

Hence, Meeru will have to walk 15 east to reach home.