A coyote chases a rabbit basic vector problem

[kirby27]

A coyote chasing a rabbit is moving 8.00 due east at one moment and 8.80 due south 3.80 later. Find the direction of the coyote’s average acceleration during that time (west of due south)?


i found Ax = -2.11 and Ay = -2.32. i used the theta = arctan(Ay/Ax) formula and got 47.7 but that isn't the right answer. am i using the wrong formula or am i in the wrong quadrant?

 

[PeterO]

A coyote chasing a rabbit is moving 8.00 due east at one moment and 8.80 due south 3.80 later. Find the direction of the coyote’s average acceleration during that time (west of due south)?i found Ax = -2.11 and Ay = -2.32. i used the theta = arctan(Ay/Ax) formula and got 47.7 but that isn't the right answer. am i using the wrong formula or am i in the wrong quadrant?

Actually you want arctan(Ax/Ay) since they asked for the angle West of South, not the direction South of West.

EDIT: A diagram would have helped.

 

[kirby27]

can anyone else confirm this is true?

 

[PeterO]

can anyone else confirm this is true?

I mean a diagram of the two vectors would have helped you see which angle you were after.