Solve for Speedboat Direction: Coast Guard Cutter Intercepts Unidentified Ship

AI Thread Summary
The Coast Guard cutter has detected an unidentified ship 23.1 km away, traveling at 24.7 km/h on a course of 43.1° east of north. To intercept the vessel, the speedboat, which travels at 48.9 km/h, needs to be directed appropriately. The problem requires vector addition to determine the correct heading for the speedboat, as the scenario involves calculating the intersection point based on the velocities of both vessels. A triangle approach may not suffice due to the dynamic nature of the speeds and directions involved. The solution will ultimately yield a compass bearing for the speedboat's direction relative to due north.
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Homework Statement



A Coast Guard cutter detects an unidentified ship at a distance of 23.1 km in the direction 16.8° east of north. The ship is traveling at 24.7 km/h on a course at 43.1° east of north. The Coast Guard wishes to send a speedboat to intercept the vessel and investigate it. If the speedboat travels 48.9 km/h, in what direction should it head? Express the direction as a compass bearing with respect to due north.
_____degrees east of north

Homework Equations



im not sure if there are any specific ones but i was using triangle theorems to try and figure it out

The Attempt at a Solution



ok so i pictured the whole thing as a triangle. one side 23.1 because that's where the ship was detected, another side 24.7, and the final side 48.9. i tried solving for an angle but i think I'm not really getting what the question is asking
 
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hmmm, I am certainly a noob here, but you can't evaluate this as a set triangle. The triangle will be dependent on the velocities of the 2 boats. I think you may have to do some vector addition here and possibly use an equation that involves the final coordinate x where the 2 boats will be equal.
Thats my best advice.
Good luck.

Chris
 
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