1. **State the problem:** John drives south 8 miles, then east 15 miles, and returns home via a straight road. We need to find the total distance he drives in 7 days. 2. **Use the Pythagorean theorem:** The route forms a right triangle with legs 8 miles and 15 miles. The hypotenuse (straight road home) is calculated by: $$\text{hypotenuse} = \sqrt{8^2 + 15^2}$$ 3. **Calculate the squares:** $$8^2 = 64, \quad 15^2 = 225$$ 4. **Sum the squares:** $$64 + 225 = 289$$ 5. **Find the square root:** $$\sqrt{289} = 17$$ 6. **Calculate total distance for one day:** $$8 + 15 + 17 = 40$$ 7. **Calculate total distance for 7 days:** $$7 \times 40 = 280$$ **Final answer:** John drives a total of 280 miles after 7 days.