How Is the Angle Calculated Between Displacement Vectors in Navigation?

physics19
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
A person walks in the following pattern: 6.6 km north, then 3.0 km west, and finally 7.0 km south. How far and in what direction would a bird fly in a straight line from the same starting point to the same final point?

I found that the distance would be 3.02 km. My problem is trying to find the angle. I came up with an angle of 7.59 degrees but that was not right. Please, any help would be appreciated.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Try using this formula: cos([tex]\alpha[/tex]) = (u(dot)v)[tex]/[/tex](|u||v|)

Sorry I am not very good with latex but it says that the cosine of alpha is equal to the dot product of the two vectors that you need the angle between over the magnitude of of one of your vectors times the other. So with your info solve for alpha.
If you need clarification please ask.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
14
Views
3K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
4K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
4K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
8K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
4K