$A$ hiker rides $700\, m$ north,$300\, m$ east,$400\, m$ north,$600\, m$ west,$1200\, m$ south,$300\, m$ east,and finally $100\, m$ north. Draw the path of motion of the hiker. What distance did he cover? What was his displacement?

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(N/A) To calculate the total distance and displacement,we represent the motion on a coordinate system.
$1$. Total Distance:
Distance is the total path length covered by the hiker.
Total Distance $= 700\, m + 300\, m + 400\, m + 600\, m + 1200\, m + 300\, m + 100\, m = 3600\, m$.
$2$. Displacement:
Displacement is the shortest distance between the initial and final positions.
Let the starting point $O$ be $(0, 0)$.
- Move $700\, m$ North: Position $(0, 700)$.
- Move $300\, m$ East: Position $(300, 700)$.
- Move $400\, m$ North: Position $(300, 1100)$.
- Move $600\, m$ West: Position $(300 - 600, 1100) = (-300, 1100)$.
- Move $1200\, m$ South: Position $(-300, 1100 - 1200) = (-300, -100)$.
- Move $300\, m$ East: Position $(-300 + 300, -100) = (0, -100)$.
- Move $100\, m$ North: Position $(0, -100 + 100) = (0, 0)$.
Since the final position $(0, 0)$ is the same as the initial position,the displacement is $0\, m$.

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