Finding x and y components

by spokorne
Tags: components
 P: 6 I've been stuck on this problem for too long and need help. Please explain the answer if possible. F1 has a magnitude of 8.80 n and is directed at an angle of $$\alpha$$= 65.0 above the negative x axis in the second quadrant. F2 has a magnitude of 6.40 N and is directed at an angle of $$\beta$$ = 53.3 below the negative x axis in the third quadrant. What is the x component Fx of the resultant force? What is the y component Fy of the resultant force? What is the magnitude F of the resultant force? What is the angle $$\gamma$$ that the resultant force forms with the negative x axis? In this problem, assume that positive angles are measured clockwise from the negative x axis. Attached Thumbnails
 HW Helper P: 5,346 Welcome to PF. What have you attempted?
 P: 6 i tried making them into triangles and then using the lengths as the force. then i figured out the upward force and minused the downard force to find the total vertical force but it isn't right
HW Helper
P: 5,346

Finding x and y components

Maybe if you calculated the x,y components of the vectors it would be a little easier?
 P: 6 how do you go about doing that?
 HW Helper P: 5,346 The dog on a leash is an example at the bottom of this link: http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSC...ors/u3l1e.html
 P: 6 That's what I did previously and then then i found the difference in the two and it was incorrect
 HW Helper P: 5,346 I can't see your effort, so you should check that you have the correct sign of the x components when you add them and the y components. After you have added them then you use what Pythagoras taught.

 Related Discussions Introductory Physics Homework 1 Introductory Physics Homework 5 Introductory Physics Homework 1 Introductory Physics Homework 1 Introductory Physics Homework 3