Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Practice Test

A man walks 3 miles north and then 4 miles east. How far is he from his starting point?

1. 5 miles

2. 7 miles

3. 6 miles

4. 8 miles

The correct answer is: 5 miles

To determine how far the man is from his starting point after walking 3 miles north and then 4 miles east, we can visualize his path as forming a right triangle. In this scenario, the distance he walked north represents one leg of the triangle, while the distance he walked east represents the other leg. Using the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in a right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the distance from the starting point to his final position) is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the two other sides, we can calculate the distance: - The distance north is 3 miles. - The distance east is 4 miles. According to the theorem, the distance from the starting point is calculated as follows: Distance = √(3² + 4²) = √(9 + 16) = √25 = 5 miles. This formula correctly applies the relationship between the legs of the triangle and the hypotenuse, resulting in a distance of 5 miles from his starting point. Thus, the correct answer is indeed the first choice, which confirms the calculated distance aligns with the scenario presented.