Ideal speed given radius and angle

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To determine the ideal speed for navigating a 70 m radius curve banked at a 30° angle, the formula v = √(g * r * tan(θ)) is used. A common issue arises when users input the angle in radians instead of degrees, leading to undefined results. Ensuring the calculator is set to degrees resolves this problem, as tan(30°) equals approximately 0.5774. Correctly applying the formula with the right angle measurement yields the appropriate speed. This highlights the importance of calculator settings in physics calculations.
Mariesa Yeoman
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Homework Statement


What is the ideal speed to take a 70 m radius curve banked at a 30.0° angle?

Homework Equations


tan θ = v2/r g

The Attempt at a Solution


This has me stuck, when I attempted this I came to the equation v= √ g*r* tan Θ
But when I substitute in the variables, I enter then into the calculator and it show answer undefined? Is this not the correct formula? or am I simply doing it wrong?
 
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It has nothing to do with the formula. Be sure your calculator is set to degrees. In radians tan(30) is negative and trying to take the square root of that will cause an error.
 
I guess I am just unsure of how to do the problem?
 
Mariesa Yeoman said:
I guess I am just unsure of how to do the problem?
I would say @kuruman has almost surely identified what you are doing wrong.
Do you not know how to set your calculator to degrees instead of radians? If so, enter the angle in radians. 30° is π/6. Its tan should be 1/√3, about 0.5774.
 
Ok that took care of it, Thank you so much!
 
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