Net displacement in the east-west direction:
Starting from the original location, the person moved 8 blocks west (negative displacement) and then moved 3 blocks east (positive displacement).
Net displacement in the east-west direction = -8 + 3 = -5 blocks west
Net displacement in the north-south direction:
Starting from the original location, the person moved 4 blocks south (negative displacement) and then moved 2 blocks north (positive displacement).
Net displacement in the north-south direction = -4 + 2 = -2 blocks south
Now, we can use the Pythagorean theorem to find the total displacement from the original location.
Total displacement = √((-5)^2 + (-2)^2)
Total displacement = √(25 + 4)
Total displacement = √29 ≈ 5.39 blocks
Therefore, the person is approximately 5.39 blocks away from the place where they left.