Question

A vessel proceeding downstream is approaching a bridge constructed of two arches with a day beacon - red triangle inside a red triangle border - on the center support. Which action should the vessel take

Answer 1

To reach a point directly across a flowing river, a boat must aim upstream at an angle to compensate for the river's current. In the scenario, the correct direction is 22.6° south of east, given the river's and boat's velocities.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to the concept of relative velocity, specifically in the context of a boat moving across a river with a current. When accounting for the velocity of the river, the boat's actual path will be diagonal to the riverbank. To reach a point directly across from its starting point, the boat must aim upstream at an angle compensating for the downstream flow.

In the given scenario, the river flows southwest to northeast at 7.1 m/s, and the boat can move at 13 m/s. To arrive at a point due east, the captain must direct the boat toward a course with an angle of 22.6° south of east, resulting in a resultant velocity of 19.74 m/s in the desire direction across the river.