Physics

To find the cyclist's displacement from the starting point, we break the motion into components along the north-south and east-west directions, then add them to get the total displacement.

Step 1: First Ride (18 km Northeast)

The cyclist rides 18 km at a 45° angle northeast. This means the displacement can be broken into two components:

Eastward component: 

east

Northward component: 

north

Step 2: Second Ride (18 km Southeast)

Next, the cyclist rides 18 km in the southeast direction, which can also be broken into components:

Eastward component: 

east

Southward component: 

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