Calculating Displacement on a Sled Ride: Horizontal and Vertical Components

[Joe91090]

How am I wrong ??

Homework Statement

A child rides a sled down a hill that desends at an angle of 27.1 degrees to the horizontal. The is 23.1m long.

A) what is the horizontal component of the childs displacement
B) what is the vertical component of the childs displacement

Homework Equations

SOH CAH TOA

The Attempt at a Solution

I Found the horizontal component is 20.56m is correct by cos27.1 x 23.1 but when I submitt my answer of 10.53 for the vertical by sin27.1 x 23.1 it says I am wrong.

 

[gabbagabbahey]

but when I submitt my answer of 10.53 for the vertical by sin27.1 x 23.1 it says I am wrong.

The child slides down the hill

 

[flatmaster]

Make sure you're not doing Sin[27.1x23.1]. Also, double check your calculator is in degree mode

 

[gabbagabbahey]

More specifically you need to account for the acceleration down the slope.

Are you sure about that? Does the final displacement really depend on how fast the child gets there?

 

[Joe91090]

I don't know how knowing the direction the child is moving matters. The child still moves 10.53m vertically.

 

[gabbagabbahey]

I don't know how knowing the direction the child is moving matters.

Upwards is positive, so downwards is____?

 

[Joe91090]

wow. so simple thank you very much

 

[gabbagabbahey]

wow. so simple thank you very much

No problem; but remember direction always matters when dealing with vectors.

 

[tacosareveryyum]

Are you sure about that? Does the final displacement really depend on how fast the child gets there?

Yeah I miss read the question and edited my post immediately after posting it...