U4AOS1 Topic 8: Path Difference

$p.d = (distance by Wave A to point X) - (distance by WaveBtopoint X)$ Path difference is the difference in how far the waves travelled.

It is calculated by subtracting the distances from the start point to the end point from each other.
$path difference = p.d$
p.d=(distance by Wave A to point X)−(distance by Wave B to point X)
$p.d = (AX) - (BX)$

and since path difference will always have a positive number:
$p.d = |AX - BX|$

Example 1

$p.d = 2$ Calculate the path difference for 2 Uber driver to pick up a passenger if one has to travel 5km and the other has to travel 7km.

Note that the higher distance is 7km and the lower is 5km

$p.d = (AX)-(BX)$

$p.d = (7)-(5)$

$p.d = 2km$

$\therefore p.d = 2000m$