Having trouble with a relative motion problem

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a relative motion problem involving two ships, A and B, departing from the same port but traveling in different directions and speeds. The original poster seeks assistance particularly with determining the bearing of ship B relative to ship A after a specified time, following the calculation of their velocities and distance apart.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the need to visualize the problem through vector representation and the importance of understanding the final positions of the ships. There are inquiries about how to calculate the final positions and the relative bearing of one ship to the other.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided hints regarding the need to find the vector difference between the final positions of the ships. The original poster has expressed uncertainty about how to approach the calculation for the bearing of ship B relative to ship A and is seeking further clarification.

Contextual Notes

The original poster has indicated they have successfully calculated parts (a), (b), and (c) of the problem but are struggling specifically with part (d). There is a mention of using angles measured from east and the need to round to the nearest degree, which may influence the interpretation of the results.

frankfjf
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Two ships, A and B, leave port at the same time. Ship A travels northwest at 20 knots and ship B travels at 27 knots in a direction 43° west of south. (1 knot = 1 nautical mile per hour; see Appendix D.) What are (a) the magnitude (in knots) and (b) direction (measured relative to east) of the velocity of ship A relative to B? (c) After how many hours will the ships be 150 nautical miles apart? (d) What will be the bearing of B (the direction of the position of B) relative to A at that time? (For your angles, takes east to be the positive x-direction, and north of east to be a positive angle. The angles are measured from -180 degrees to 180 degrees. Round your angles to the nearest degree.)

I am able to obtain the answers to a-c, but my textbook is not very helpful on how I'm supposed to find the answer to d.

I get 34.1 knots for a, 83 degrees for b, and 4.4 hours for c. I can't for the life of me figure out how to approach d. Please help!
 
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Draw a picture, you need the vector between the final positions. Think about it, perhaps you are making it hardier then it is.
 
I still don't get it. Are there any other hints you can give me?
 
You need to find the difference between the final positions of the ships.
 
I'm a little confused as to how to get the final positions.

I have the following hunch: If 1 nautical mile per hour = 1 knot, and I know that t = 4.4, couldn't I just add 4.4 knots to each original magnitude and then go from there?
 

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