How can I calculate the speed of two hockey players after a collision?

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To calculate the speed of two hockey players after a collision, one must apply the principle of momentum conservation. In this scenario, two players, each weighing 72.0 kg and moving at 5.75 m/s, collide at an angle of 125 degrees. The initial momentum vectors need to be accurately represented and combined to find the total momentum post-collision. The initial calculations were incorrect due to using wrong values, but correcting these led to the right solution. Ultimately, using the correct numbers is crucial for solving the problem accurately.
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Homework Statement


Two 72.0kg hockey players skating at 5.75 m/s collide and stick together. If the angle between their initial directions was 125o, what is their speed after the collision?

Homework Equations



P=mv

The Attempt at a Solution


I set up a vector diagram with their initial directions 125o apart. I set one vector to straight forward to make calculations easier.

I worked out that one momentum vector would be 414 kg\cdot m/s forward, and the other vector would have magnitudes of roughly 339
and 651 [forward].

Adding the components, I arrived at a new combined momentum of 734kg\cdot m/s. Since this equals the momentum of BOTH players, I divided that by (72\cdot 2) to get the final speed. This was wrong.

I also tried using kinetic energy, but that answer was wrong as well.

How would I go about solving such a question?

Thanks!​
 
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That 651 can't be right. Has to be less than 414. And it has to be negative.
 
I can't believe it.. I used numbers from the wrong part of the question in my solution. Those aren't the right numbers at all.

Believe it or not, using the right numbers solved the question! Thanks. :P
 
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