Mechanics/Projectiles/Angles/Trig. Identities?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on solving a physics problem involving projectile motion and trigonometric identities. Key equations mentioned include sec θ = 1/cos θ, tan² θ + 1 = sec² θ, and sin² θ + cos² θ = 1. The user expresses confusion about how to apply these identities to derive the launch angle for a projectile. The solution involves separating vertical and horizontal motion equations to analyze the projectile's trajectory effectively.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic trigonometric identities such as secant and tangent functions.
  • Familiarity with projectile motion equations in physics.
  • Ability to manipulate algebraic expressions involving trigonometric functions.
  • Knowledge of Pythagorean theorem applications in physics problems.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the equations of motion for projectiles, focusing on vertical and horizontal components.
  • Learn how to derive launch angles from projectile motion equations.
  • Explore the application of trigonometric identities in physics problems.
  • Practice solving similar projectile motion problems using different angles and initial velocities.
USEFUL FOR

Students studying physics, particularly those tackling projectile motion problems, as well as educators looking for examples of applying trigonometry in real-world scenarios.

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Homework Statement


http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/1681/question1su9.png

Apologies for the scrappy diagram. My MS Paint skills aren't amazing.

Homework Equations



Personally, I'm not too sure. This question (I think) involves things that I haven't studied, I tried to do a little research into it on the Internet but it didn't help too much in the end. All I could really think of was

sec [tex]\theta[/tex] = 1/cos[tex]\theta[/tex]

tan^2 [tex]\theta[/tex] + 1 = sec^2 [tex]\theta[/tex]

sin^2 [tex]\theta[/tex] + cos^2 [tex]\theta[/tex] = 1

tan^2 [tex]\theta[/tex] = (1 - cos2[tex]\theta[/tex])/(1 + cos2[tex]\theta[/tex])

cos2[tex]\theta[/tex] = (2cos^2[tex]\theta[/tex] -1)

And maybe Pythagoras' theorem

The Attempt at a Solution



(Note; for ease of writing on paper, I replaced [tex]\alpha[/tex] with [tex]\theta[/tex], because, pathetic as it sounds, I don't like writing [tex]\alpha[/tex])

A bit of a mess, one of my lines of work went;

49sin^2[tex]\theta[/tex] + 49cos[tex]\theta[/tex] = 2401 = 49^2

sin^2 [tex]\theta[/tex] + cos^2 [tex]\theta[/tex] = 1

Divide all by cos^2[tex]\theta[/tex]

(sin^2[tex]\theta[/tex])/(cos^2[tex]\theta[/tex]) + 1 = sec^2[tex]\theta[/tex]

tan^2[tex]\theta[/tex] + 1 = sec^2[tex]\theta[/tex]

Which, obviously, doesn't help towards my answer.

What I'm most interested in is a kind of kick start, if I knew what kind of thing I'm supposed to do, I'd maybe be able to do the question myself, but I honestly do not know where to start.
 
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This is meant as a physics problem, not a math problem. So start with the equations for projectile motion. Write expressions for the position as a function of time, treating vertical and horizontal position separately. Combine those equations to see what you can deduce about the launch angle.
 

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