Calculating Jet Aircraft Velocity: Trig Method vs Actual Result Explained

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the southern component of a jet aircraft's velocity, specifically a jet traveling at 310 m/s at an angle of 35 degrees south of east. The initial calculation incorrectly used the cosine function, yielding 254 m/s. The correct approach involves using the sine function, which results in a southern component of 178 m/s. This highlights the importance of selecting the appropriate trigonometric function based on the angle's orientation.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic trigonometry, specifically sine and cosine functions.
  • Knowledge of vector components in physics.
  • Familiarity with angular measurements in degrees.
  • Ability to perform calculations involving trigonometric ratios.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the application of trigonometric functions in vector resolution.
  • Learn about the differences between sine and cosine in relation to angle orientation.
  • Explore real-world examples of velocity component calculations in aviation.
  • Investigate the use of trigonometry in other fields, such as engineering and physics.
USEFUL FOR

Aerospace engineers, physics students, and anyone involved in aviation calculations will benefit from this discussion on calculating velocity components using trigonometric methods.

ms. confused
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Hello! Could someone tell me if I'm doing this right?

A jet aircraft is traveling at 310m/s at 35 degrees south of east. What is the southern component of its velocity?

I used trig to calculate it:

cos35= x/310
310cos35 = x
254 m/s= x

Apparently the answer is supposed to be 178 m/s. What, if anything, did I do wrong?
 
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use sin instead of cos
 
Wow, ok, thanks that really helped!
 

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