Calculating Flight Direction and Time with Wind Factors

AI Thread Summary
To calculate the flight direction and time from Denver to Chicago, the pilot must account for a wind speed of 280 mi/H from the southeast and an airspeed of 450 mi/H. The required heading is determined to be 10.78 degrees south of west, ensuring the plane can travel the 1150 miles at the correct angle of 25 degrees north of east. The resultant velocity of the plane, after factoring in wind, is approximately 269.31 mi/H. Consequently, the estimated flight time for the journey is 4 hours, 16 minutes, and 12 seconds. Understanding the vector components and applying the law of sines is essential for accurate calculations.
anshu
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
An airplane pilot flies a plane that has an air speed of 450 mi/H. She needs to fly from Denver to Chicago, which lies on a line 1150 miles long at an angle of 25 degrees north of east (measured from Denver.) A constant jet stream of 280 mi/H is coming from the southeast (ie, along the 45 degree line between south and east.) Determine the compass heading that she must use in order to get to Chicago in a straight line, and determine the flight time needed to make the trip.

me and my friends have tried just about everything we know, we tried to assume that the final speed was 450 but that idea was shot down. I really am clueless some help would be much appriciated
thanks in advance
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Hope this helps

Hi Anshu. Drawing a diagram, the situation ends up looking like this:-
Wind(velocity vector):- 280cos 45 i + 280 sin45 j
Plane (velocity vector):- 450 cos x i + 450 sin x j
Path to be taken(displacement vector):- 1150 miles & 25 degrees north of east
so we hav total knowledge of the wind vector, but only know the size of the Plane(direction not known) and we know the resultant direction needed, but do not know the resultant speed.
applying sine rule twice we get that the direction of travel which is 10.78 degrees south of west. (while writing as components x = 190.78)
using that in :-
(450 cos x i + 450 sin x j) + (280cos 45 i + 280 sin45 j) = R cos 155 i + R sin 155 j

direction of travel of the plane is 10.78 degrees south of west.
we get R(resultant velocity) = 269.31 mi/h
therefore, time taken = 4 hours 16 minutes 12 seconds.

Hey a diagram would make this situation seem a lot simpler. :-p
If u would like to see the diagram i used, Plz answer the following:-
How the hell do i load a attachment? :confused:
Ive tried drawing it in paint, but the file size comes otu too large :cry:
 
thanks, didnt know the law of sines, but being able to check answers was helpful thanks again
 
I multiplied the values first without the error limit. Got 19.38. rounded it off to 2 significant figures since the given data has 2 significant figures. So = 19. For error I used the above formula. It comes out about 1.48. Now my question is. Should I write the answer as 19±1.5 (rounding 1.48 to 2 significant figures) OR should I write it as 19±1. So in short, should the error have same number of significant figures as the mean value or should it have the same number of decimal places as...
Thread 'Collision of a bullet on a rod-string system: query'
In this question, I have a question. I am NOT trying to solve it, but it is just a conceptual question. Consider the point on the rod, which connects the string and the rod. My question: just before and after the collision, is ANGULAR momentum CONSERVED about this point? Lets call the point which connects the string and rod as P. Why am I asking this? : it is clear from the scenario that the point of concern, which connects the string and the rod, moves in a circular path due to the string...
Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'
Let's declare that for the cylinder, mass = M = 10 kg Radius = R = 4 m For the wall and the floor, Friction coeff = ##\mu## = 0.5 For the hanging mass, mass = m = 11 kg First, we divide the force according to their respective plane (x and y thing, correct me if I'm wrong) and according to which, cylinder or the hanging mass, they're working on. Force on the hanging mass $$mg - T = ma$$ Force(Cylinder) on y $$N_f + f_w - Mg = 0$$ Force(Cylinder) on x $$T + f_f - N_w = Ma$$ There's also...
Back
Top