Resultant displacement and angle

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SUMMARY

The spelunker’s resultant displacement from the cave entrance is calculated to be 443.2 meters at an angle of 38.4 degrees. The calculations involved breaking down the movements into their respective x and y components using trigonometric functions. The equations utilized include ax, ay, bx, by, cx, cy, dx, and dy, with corrections made to the angle for the southward movement. The method applied is confirmed to be correct, barring the adjustment for the angle representing south.

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bearhug
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While exploring a cave, a spelunker starts at the entrance and moves the following distances. She goes 69.7 m north, 246.8 m east,127.4 m at an angle 37.8 (degrees) north of east, and 127.4 m south. What is the resultant displacement from the cave enterance? The angle should be positive between 0 and 360.

I drew a diagram not 100% accurate but enough to give me a picture. And the resultant displacement I took to be the distance from point A to point D (start point to end point). The equations I used are as follows:
ax= 69.7 cos(90) ay= 69.7 sin(90) = 0, 69.7
bx= 246.8 cos (0) by= 246.8 sin (0) = 246.8, 0
cx= 127.4 cos(37.8) cy= 127.4 sin(37.8) = 100.7, 78.1
dx= 127.4 cos(90) dy= 127.4 sin(90) = 0, 127.4

I found Rx = 347.5
Ry = 275.2

R = (347.5^2 + 275.2^2)^1/2
= 443.2m to be the resultant displacement

angle = tan= 275.2/347.5= 38.4 degrees

Is this the right method?
 
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bearhug said:
The equations I used are as follows:
ax= 69.7 cos(90) ay= 69.7 sin(90) = 0, 69.7
bx= 246.8 cos (0) by= 246.8 sin (0) = 246.8, 0
cx= 127.4 cos(37.8) cy= 127.4 sin(37.8) = 100.7, 78.1
dx= 127.4 cos(90) dy= 127.4 sin(90) = 0, 127.4
Rewrite that last equation. If "north" is at an angle of 90 degrees, then south must be directly opposite, which is 270 degrees (or -90 degrees).

(Other than that error, your method looks just fine.)
 
Last edited:

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