# Vector direction

A helicopter is flying southeast with a speed of 200 m/s and the wind is blowing northeast with a speed of 60 m/s.

Which direction will the helicopter head now?
I know that u use tangent to solve for the angle. except im unsure whether it should be tan-1(200/60) or tan-1(60/600) and is the direction southeast?

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/5665/vectordk0.th.jpg [Broken]

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Kurdt
Staff Emeritus
Gold Member
$$\tan \theta = \frac{o}{a}$$

where o = opposite side and a = adjacent side.

$$\tan \theta = \frac{o}{a}$$

where o = opposite side and a = adjacent side.

yes i know except i don't know which angle to solve for. the one between the wind and the resultant or between the helicopter and the resultant?

Kurdt
Staff Emeritus
Gold Member
It depends where the 0 angle is set. I would presume everything will be measured clockwise from North. If the question is not specific then you could just state where you've measured the angle from.

It depends where the 0 angle is set. I would presume everything will be measured clockwise from North. If the question is not specific then you could just state where you've measured the angle from.

i don't quite understand. do you mean that it doesnt matter which angle i find?

Kurdt
Staff Emeritus