Calculating Relative Velocity: Tips for Solving Tricky Problems

[Nathanael]

E33.56N

By E33.56N you mean "33.56 degrees East of North," right?

Is it possible for it to travel west of north and crash? How many degrees west of north would it need to go?

 

[Aaron Curran]

By E33.56N you mean "33.56 degrees East of North," right?

Is it possible for it to travel west of north and crash? How many degrees west of north would it need to go?

Yeah that's what I meant, I should have expressed it as N33.56E, I get where you're coming from but I still don't know how to go about calculating it

 

[Nathanael]

Yeah that's what I meant, I should have expressed it as N33.56E, I get where you're coming from but I still don't know how to go about calculating it

Well, I don't know how else to explain it except to just tell you. It would be the same angle as you calculated, 33.56°, except west of north. Draw (or imagine) a picture to understand it better. The angle is measured against the y axis. No matter if you measure it to the left of the y-axis or to the right of the y axis, it still gives you the same y component (5 m/s)

 

[Aaron Curran]

Well, I don't know how else to explain it except to just tell you. It would be the same angle as you calculated, 33.56°, except west of north. Draw (or imagine) a picture to understand it better. The angle is measured against the y axis. No matter if you measure it to the left of the y-axis or to the right of the y axis, it still gives you the same y component (5 m/s)

I thought about that but then I thought it was too simple, thanks so much for all your help! It seems so simple now that I know, makes me feel stupid for not seeing it earlier lol, thanks again!