UPSC CSE Prelims 2021
To determine the shortest distance, we analyze the net displacement in the East-West and North-South directions from the starting point (house) to the final point (bank).
Calculating the net displacement:
Thus, the bank is located 25 km to the East of the house, with no net displacement in the North-South direction. The shortest distance between the house and the bank is the straight-line distance, which is 25 km.
Options 1 (20 km), 3 (30 km), and 4 (35 km) are incorrect. These values do not represent the calculated shortest straight-line distance of 25 km between the employee's house and the bank. They may result from partial calculations or incorrect summation of displacements.