1. **State the problem:** Noah rows across a river that is 48 m wide, but the current carries her 15 m downstream. We need to find the actual distance Noah travels. 2. **Understand the situation:** Noah's path forms a right triangle where one leg is the width of the river (48 m) and the other leg is the downstream displacement (15 m). 3. **Formula used:** To find the actual distance traveled (the hypotenuse), use the Pythagorean theorem: $$d = \sqrt{(\text{width})^2 + (\text{downstream})^2}$$ 4. **Calculate:** $$d = \sqrt{48^2 + 15^2} = \sqrt{2304 + 225} = \sqrt{2529}$$ 5. **Simplify:** $$d \approx 50.29$$ meters 6. **Conclusion:** Noah actually travels approximately 50.29 meters across the river considering the current's effect.