Total distance in length of suspect/area search?

• A. 92 ft
• B. 84 ft
• C. 100 ft
• D. 116 ft

Answer: (A)

Understanding how to calculate total distance in a suspect/area search is about summing the path the team must cover to thoroughly sweep the space. The total distance is the sum of every straight segment of the search pattern plus the small distances added when turning at the end of each sweep. To estimate it, picture the search area as a rectangle with a certain length to be covered in each sweep and a chosen spacing between sweeps (the width of each pass). The number of passes is the ceiling of the area width divided by the sweep spacing. Multiply that number by the area length to get the distance traveled along all sweeps, then add the extra distance for turns between sweeps—the turning portions are typically a few extra feet per transition. When you lay out the given dimensions and standard sweep spacing, the total path length comes out around 92 feet, which is why that option fits best. The other numbers would require a pattern or area that doesn’t match the setup.