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a private plane is traveling due east at a rate of 155 mph. a south wind is blowing 35 mph. what is the actual velocity of the plane?

User Sho Gondo
by
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1 Answer

4 votes

Answer:

158.9 mph E 12.7° S

Explanation:

Since the components of the motion are perpendicular to each other then magnitude of the resultant can be found using the Pythagorean theorem:

|v| = √(155^2 +35^2) ≈ 158.9 . . . . mph

The angle can be found using the tangent relationship:

tan = opposite/adjacent

The angle south of east will be

angle = arctan(35/155) ≈ 12.7°

The velocity vector can be described by ...

158.9 mph E 12.7° S

_____

As a bearing, the vector might be described as either of ...

• 158.9 mph at 102.7°

• 158.9 mph S 77.3° E

User Piotr Szybicki
by
6.5k points