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A boat has a maximum velocity of 12 m/s. If the boat is sailing in the direction of 45 degrees and the ocean current that is 2 m/s directly south, what is the actual speed of the boat and in what direction is the boat heading?​

User Stig Perez
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1 Answer

2 votes

Answer:

speed of the boat = 10.67 m/s...

direction the boat is 38.2 degrees north of east...

Step-by-step explanation:

To solve this problem, we can use vector addition.

Let the velocity of the boat be represented by vector B, which has a magnitude of 12 m/s and is directed 45 degrees north of east. We can represent this vector as:

B = 12 m/s at 45 degrees

Let the velocity of the ocean current be represented by vector C, which has a magnitude of 2 m/s and is directed directly south. We can represent this vector as:

C = 2 m/s at 270 degrees

To find the actual speed of the boat and the direction it is heading, we need to add these two vectors together using vector addition. To do this, we can break each vector into its x and y components:

Bx = 12 m/s * cos(45) = 8.49 m/s

By = 12 m/s * sin(45) = 8.49 m/s

Cx = 0 m/s

Cy = -2 m/s

Now, we can add the x and y components of the vectors separately:

Rx = Bx + Cx = 8.49 m/s + 0 m/s = 8.49 m/s

Ry = By + Cy = 8.49 m/s - 2 m/s = 6.49 m/s

The resulting vector R has a magnitude of:

|R| = sqrt(Rx^2 + Ry^2) = sqrt((8.49 m/s)^2 + (6.49 m/s)^2) = 10.67 m/s

And a direction of:

theta = arctan(Ry/Rx) = arctan(6.49 m/s/8.49 m/s) = 38.2 degrees

Therefore, the actual speed of the boat is 10.67 m/s and the direction the boat is heading is 38.2 degrees north of east...

User Steve Bourne
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