Question

A bird is resting on a point P at a height of 8 m above the Mean Sea Level (MSL). Upon hearing a loud noise, the bird flies parallel to the ground surface and reaches a point Q which is located at a height of 3 m above MSL. The ground surface has a falling gradient of 1 in 2. Ignoring the effects of curvature and refraction, the horizontal distance (in meters) between points P and Q is \_\_\_\_\_ (in integer).

Hint:

Understanding gradients and their practical applications can help solve real-world problems involving distances and heights, useful in fields like geography and civil engineering.

Answer 1

Step 1: Determine the height difference between points P and Q \[ \Delta h = 8 \text{ m} - 3 \text{ m} = 5 \text{ m} \] Step 2: Calculate the horizontal distance using the gradient. The gradient of the ground is 1 in 2, meaning for every 2 meters horizontally, the elevation changes by 1 meter. Thus, to cover a vertical distance of 5 meters: \[ \text{Horizontal Distance} = 5 \text{ m} \times 2 = 10 \text{ m} \]