Solving for Boat Problem: Speed Relative to Water

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the speed of a man walking on a ship relative to the water. The ship's speed is given as vs = 4 m/s, while the man walks at vm = 2 m/s at an angle of delta = 28 degrees to the ship's forward motion. The solution involves vector addition, specifically using the equation vmw = vms + vsw, where vms is the man's speed relative to the ship and vsw is the ship's speed relative to the water. The final step is to calculate the magnitude of the resultant vector to determine the man's speed relative to the water.

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Momentum09
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Hello,

Could somebody please give me clues as to how to do this problem?

A ship cruises forward at vs = 4 relative to the water. On deck, a man walks diagonally toward the bow such that his path forms an angle delta = 28 degrees with a line perpendicular to the boat's direction of motion. He walks at vm = 2 m/s relative to the boat. At what speed does he walk relative to the water?

Thank you!
 
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Momentum09 said:
Hello,

Could somebody please give me clues as to how to do this problem?

A ship cruises forward at vs = 4 relative to the water. On deck, a man walks diagonally toward the bow such that his path forms an angle delta = 28 degrees with a line perpendicular to the boat's direction of motion. He walks at vm = 2 m/s relative to the boat. At what speed does he walk relative to the water?

Thank you!

\vec{v}_{mw} = \vec{v}_{ms} + \vec{v}_{sw}
where my notation is ms = man with respect to the ship, mw = man with respect to the water, etc.

Just add the two vectors and find the magnitude of v_(mw)
 

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