What is the distance and direction between city A and city C?

  • Thread starter Thread starter hrgardner33
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Vectors
Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The problem involves determining the straight-line distance and direction between city A and city C, given the paths taken by an airplane flying from city A to city B and then to city C. The subject area includes vector analysis and trigonometry.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the need to visualize the problem and consider the angles involved in the flight path. There is mention of using trigonometric functions to resolve the components of the flight paths.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered insights into the geometric interpretation of the problem, while others express uncertainty about the terminology used for the angle measurement. The discussion is ongoing, with various interpretations being explored.

Contextual Notes

There is a noted confusion regarding the angle of 34.5 degrees north of west, with participants questioning how to accurately represent this in a drawing.

hrgardner33
Messages
2
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



An airplane flies 200 km due west from city A to city B and then 345 km in the direction of 34.5° north of west from city B to city C. In straight-line distance, how far is city C from city A? Relative to city A, in what direction is city C?


Homework Equations



The Pythagorean theorem


The Attempt at a Solution



398.78 km
 
Physics news on Phys.org


The Pythagorean theorem is about right-angled triangles. The triangle ABC in your problem is not right-angled.

The way to solve this would be: draw the situation, then try to make some right-angled triangle, calculate the length of its sides using sine and cosine functions and then use the Pythagorean theorem.
 


I don't know how to draw 34.5 degrees north of west.
 


Yeah I can understand that, I do not find it very clear terminology either, but I am assuming they meant rotating the negative x-axis (i.e. west) 34.5 degrees in clockwise direction (i.e. towards north).
 

Similar threads

Replies
1
Views
7K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
6K
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
5K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
1K