Question

A car travels down a highway with a north velocity component of 15.0 m/s and an east velocity component of 50 m/s. What is the resultant velocity vector?

Answer 1

52.2 m/s at 16.7° north of east

Step-by-step explanation:

The magnitude is found with Pythagorean theorem:

v² = x² + y²

v² = (50 m/s)² + (15.0 m/s)²

v = 52.2 m/s

The direction is found with trigonometry:

tan θ = y / x

tan θ = 15.0 / 50

θ = 16.7°

The resultant velocity vector is 52.2 m/s at 16.7° north of east.