Force and Motion, I'm a bit confused on how to approach this.

[alexas]

Homework Statement

Two forces, F1 and F2, act at a point. F1 has a magnitude of 8.60 N and is directed at an angle of 63.0 (DEGREES) above the negative x-axis in the second quadrant. F2 has a magnitude of 6.00 N and is directed at an angle of 53.2 (DEGREES) below the negative x-axis in the third quadrant.

What is the x component of the resultant force?

What is the y component of the resultant force?

What is the magnitude of the resultant force?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

What equation should i use?

I was thinking of using the equations that i used to break velocity up into x and y components:

VCOS(ANGLE)

so anyways...

the y component i was thinking:

(8.6^2) + (30) = c^2
Where the root of c^2 would give me the y-component?

I am a little lost any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[alexas]

I figured it out. :)

 

[nlightner]

Hello, it seems like you are trying to find the resultant force of two given forces. To find the x and y components of the resultant force, you can use the trigonometric equations of cos and sin. The x component can be found by using the equation Fx = Fcosθ, where F is the magnitude of the force and θ is the angle it makes with the x-axis. Similarly, the y component can be found using the equation Fy = Fsinθ.

For the first force, F1, you can use F1x = 8.60 N * cos(63°) and F1y = 8.60 N * sin(63°) to find its x and y components. Similarly, for the second force, F2, you can use F2x = 6.00 N * cos(53.2°) and F2y = 6.00 N * sin(53.2°).

To find the resultant force, you can use the Pythagorean theorem, where the magnitude of the resultant force (Fr) is equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of its x and y components, as you have mentioned in your attempt. So, the equation would be Fr = √(Fx^2 + Fy^2).

I hope this helps you approach the problem. Remember to pay attention to the signs of the components, as they can affect the direction of the resultant force. Good luck!