Final answer:
The x-component of a vector with a magnitude of 14.4 m and direction of 133 degrees can be found using the cosine function. Ax = 14.4 cos(133°), yielding a negative value since the angle is in the second quadrant.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the x-component of a vector with a magnitude of 14.4 m and that points in a 133-degree direction, we will use the cosine function of trigonometry. In the coordinate system, an angle of 133 degrees is measured counter-clockwise from the positive x-axis. To find the x-component (Ax), we calculate it as:
Ax = A cos(θ)
Where A is the magnitude of the vector and θ is the angle it makes with the positive x-axis. The calculation would be:
Ax = 14.4 cos(133°)
This will yield a negative value since the angle is in the second quadrant, where the cosine values are negative. The x-component will be the product of 14.4 and the cosine of 133 degrees.