Direction of resultant displacement?

In summary, the person's resultant displacement after a walk is 595.7697375 m, with a vertical velocity of -567.3170013 m and a horizontal velocity of -181.9148158 m. The direction of the displacement, measured from due west counterclockwise, is 287.7788712 degrees. The attempt to find the angle using arctan(vertical velocity/horizontal velocity) was not successful.
  • #1
gredrick0896
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Homework Statement


http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll124…

Homework Equations


At the end of the walk, what is the magnitude of the person’s resultant displacement measured from the starting point?

I found this answer to be 595.7697375 m after finding the vertical velocity to be -567.3170013 and the horizontal velocity to be -181.9148158.

The Attempt at a Solution


What is the direction (measured from due west, with counterclockwise positive) of the person’s resultant displacement?
For some reason, I just can not find the angle. I tried to do arctan(vertical velocity/horizontal velocity) which came out to be 72.22112883, but that answer won't work. I then tried -72.22112883 but that won't work either? What am I doing wrong? Please help!
 
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  • #2
Would it be 360-72.22112883=287.7788712?
 

Related to Direction of resultant displacement?

What is the direction of resultant displacement?

The direction of resultant displacement is the direction in which an object has moved from its initial position to its final position. It can be represented using a compass direction or an angle with respect to a reference point.

How is the direction of resultant displacement calculated?

The direction of resultant displacement can be calculated using trigonometric functions such as sine, cosine, and tangent. It can also be determined by drawing a vector diagram and measuring the angle between the initial and final positions.

What is the difference between displacement and distance?

Displacement is a vector quantity that represents the straight-line distance and direction between an object's initial and final positions. Distance, on the other hand, is a scalar quantity that represents the total length traveled by an object, regardless of its direction.

Can the direction of resultant displacement be negative?

Yes, the direction of resultant displacement can be negative if the object moves in a direction opposite to the reference point or if it moves in a clockwise direction. It can also be represented as a negative angle with respect to the reference point.

How does the direction of resultant displacement affect an object's motion?

The direction of resultant displacement determines the direction of an object's motion. If the direction of resultant displacement is constant, the object's motion will be in a straight line. If the direction changes, the object's motion will also change accordingly.

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