Calculating Velocity & Acceleration of a Particle at r(t)

[JoeSabs]

Homework Statement

r(t) is the position of a particle in space at time t. Find the particle's velocity and acceleration vectors. Then find the particle's speed and direction of motion at the given value of t. Write the particle's velocity at that time as the product of its speed and direction.

r(t)=(2cost)i+(3sint)j+4tk; t=pi/2

Homework Equations

sin^2+cos^2=1
length of v= sqrt(vi+vj+vk) if vi is the first coefficient of velocity equation, vj 2nd, vk 3rd.

The Attempt at a Solution

v(t)= (-2sint)i+(3cost)j+4k

|v(t)| (length)=2sqrt(5), but I don't know how to get this.

sqrt(((-2sin(t))^2)+((3cos(t))^2)+(4^2))
sqrt((4sin^2(t))+(9cos^2(t))+(16))
?
Are you supposed to somehow remove the coefficients to use cos^2+sin^2? I tried this to no avail. I also tried using the sin^2(x)= (1-cos2x)/2, and the cos one too, but that didn't work either.

 

[Pacopag]

It looks to me like you have the correct answer. Just put t=Pi/2 into your last expression. You get sqrt(20) which is the same as 2sqrt(5).

 

[JoeSabs]

Ah, I see! Plug in before trying to simplify. That's very easy, just out of the normal order of operations I'm used to. Thanks a lot!