Vector Displacement calculation

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
3 replies · 2K views
Lief Vercron
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Member warned to use the formatting template
An airplane takes off and flies 245 km on a course of 45.0° south of west and then
changes direction and flies 175 km due south, where it lands. Find the displacement
from its starting point to its landing point.

I have literally no idea how to approach this, I worked with physics only sparingly in my homeschooling, and I need help figuring out the approach to this type of equation. I'm a quick learner though!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Lief Vercron said:
An airplane takes off and flies 245 km on a course of 45.0° south of west and then
changes direction and flies 175 km due south, where it lands. Find the displacement
from its starting point to its landing point.

I have literally no idea how to approach this, I worked with physics only sparingly in my homeschooling, and I need help figuring out the approach to this type of equation. I'm a quick learner though!
Why don't you make a sketch of the plane's travels? With a picture, that may give you some ideas on how to tackle this problem.
 
SteamKing said:
Why don't you make a sketch of the plane's travels? With a picture, that may give you some ideas on how to tackle this problem.
Right triangles off of each vector to the x/y lines?