How Do You Calculate Direction and Vector Components in Physics Problems?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating direction and vector components in physics problems, specifically involving an airplane's flight path and vector analysis. The original poster presents two distinct problems related to vector calculations and direction determination.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the calculation of straight-line distance between two cities based on given vector paths and the determination of direction for city C relative to city A. There is also an exploration of calculating the x-component of a vector given its magnitude and direction.

Discussion Status

Some participants have made progress on the first problem, while others express difficulty with the second problem. There is an ongoing inquiry into the correct interpretation of angles and the application of trigonometric functions to find vector components.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating the complexities of vector direction and component calculations, with some uncertainty about angle conversions and the application of cosine functions. The original poster's homework constraints and specific requirements are not fully detailed.

Scropion
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Physics HWK? Someone help?
An airplane flies 200 km due west from city A to city B and then 330 km in the direction of 33.0° north of west from city B to city C.
(a) In straight-line distance, how far is city C from city A?
I got this and its 509

b) Relative to city A, in what direction is city C?
this problem is killing me someone help mee!

This too
The magnitude of vector vector A is 41.9 units and points in the direction 307° counterclockwise from the positive x-axis. Calculate the x-component of this vector.
 
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I figured out the first problem.

The second problem is killing me now. =[

Code: 
The magnitude of vector vector A  is 41.9 units and points in the direction 307° counterclockwise from the positive x-axis. Calculate the x-component of this vector.
 
anyone?/
 
Scropion said:
The magnitude of vector vector A is 41.9 units and points in the direction 307° counterclockwise from the positive x-axis. Calculate the x-component of this vector.

307 degrees counterclockwise is 53 degrees clockwise, right,,, now you can say Ax=A*cos53
 

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