Vectors Help. Mathematics Specialist.

In summary, the conversation discusses a situation where a fire is spotted on a bearing of 050 degrees from Lookout No.1 and on a bearing of 020 degrees from Lookout No.2. Lookout No.2 is located 10 kilometers away from Lookout No.1 on a bearing of 120 degrees. The question then asks to determine the distance of the fire from each lookout assuming they are all on the same horizontal level. It is suggested that the Law of Sines and/or Cosines may be useful in solving this problem.
  • #1
realplayer1
1
0
From Lookout No.1, a fire is spotted on a bearing of 050 degrees. From Lookout No.2, a fire is spotted on a bearing of 020 degrees. Lookout No.2 is 10 kilometers apart from Lookout No.1 on a bearing of 120 degrees. Assuming that the fire and the two lookouts are all on the same horizontal level, find how far the fire is from each lookout.
 
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  • #2
realplayer1 said:
From Lookout No.1, a fire is spotted on a bearing of 050 degrees. From Lookout No.2, a fire is spotted on a bearing of 020 degrees. Lookout No.2 is 10 kilometers apart from Lookout No.1 on a bearing of 120 degrees. Assuming that the fire and the two lookouts are all on the same horizontal level, find how far the fire is from each lookout.


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  • #3
If it's any consolation, I think this question is dying to be plugged into the Law of Sines and/or Cosines. It's not exactly vector related.
 

1. What are vectors in mathematics?

Vectors in mathematics are mathematical objects that represent both magnitude and direction. They are commonly used in physics and engineering to represent physical quantities and their direction.

2. How do I add two or more vectors?

To add two or more vectors, you will need to add the corresponding components of each vector. For example, if you have two vectors A = (2,3) and B = (1,4), the sum of these two vectors would be A + B = (2+1, 3+4) = (3,7).

3. How do I find the magnitude of a vector?

The magnitude of a vector is the length of the vector, which can be found using the Pythagorean theorem. If a vector is represented as (x,y) in a coordinate system, the magnitude can be calculated as √(x² + y²).

4. Can vectors be multiplied?

Yes, vectors can be multiplied. There are two types of vector multiplication - dot product and cross product. Dot product results in a scalar quantity, while cross product results in a vector quantity.

5. How can I use vectors in real-world applications?

Vectors have a wide range of applications in the real world, from representing forces in physics to analyzing motion in engineering. They can also be used in computer graphics, navigation, and even in economics. Understanding vectors can help solve many real-world problems and make complex calculations more manageable.

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