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Edwardo_Elric
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Homework Statement
A canoe has a velocity of 0.30m/s northwest relative to the earth. The canoe is on a river that is flowing 0.50m/s west relative to the earth. Find the velocity (magnitude and direction ) of the canoe relative to the river.
Homework Equations
E = earth
R = river
C = canoe
[tex]V_{C/E} = V_{C/R} + V_{R/E} [/tex]
[tex]V_{C/E} - V_{R/E} = V_{C/R}[/tex]
The Attempt at a Solution
the answer at the back of the book is .36m/s 53.6 degrees east of north
to get to the book's answer, i used the pythagorean theorem
[tex]\sqrt{{V_{C/E}}^2 - {V_{R/E}}^2} = V_{C/R}[/tex]
and i confusingly substituted
\sqrt{((0.30)cos(45) - .50)^2 - ((.30) sin 45))^2} = V_{C/R}
then get .36
and i don't know how the V_{C/E}'s x components got involved ...