Split - Vectors

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shawnarae

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Feb 16, 2011
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Hello, I need help in doing a vector analysis for a college Physics course. I missed the lecture and now I am winging it so here goes.
GIVEN:
A plane is traveling southwest has a vector heading of 180mi/hr at 240 deg. A partial head wind blowing northwest has a vector heading of 35mi/hr at 150 deg
REQUIRED:
What is the planes final vector heading including both the theta and final displacement angle.

Please Please any help at all would be great.
Thank you so much
 
A plane is traveling southwest has a vector heading of 180mi/hr at 240 deg. A partial head wind blowing northwest has a vector heading of 35mi/hr at 150 deg

#1) Without the wind, we're talking 180 @ 240
#2) Partial head wind suggests that whatever we do will be less than 180
#3) Just draw it.
-----a) Draw a vector @ 240 and label it 180
-----b) From the end of a), draw a new vector heading 150 and label it 35. It would help if this second vector were substantially shorter than the first.
-----c) Connect the end of b) to the beginning of a)
#4) Ponder the triangle you have just created.
-----a) You have internal or external angles. Find the missing third angle.
-----b) You have two sides, calculate the third.

Let's see what you get.
 
A plane is traveling southwest has a vector heading of 180mi/hr at 240 deg. A partial head wind blowing northwest has a vector heading of 35mi/hr at 150 deg

#1) Without the wind, we're talking 180 @ 240
#2) Partial head wind suggests that whatever we do will be less than 180
#3) Just draw it.
-----a) Draw a vector @ 240 and label it 180
-----b) From the end of a), draw a new vector heading 150 and label it 35. It would help if this second vector were substantially shorter than the first.
-----c) Connect the end of b) to the beginning of a)
#4) Ponder the triangle you have just created.
-----a) You have internal or external angles. Find the missing third angle.
-----b) You have two sides, calculate the third.

Okay I did as you instructed and here is what I got , I am not sure if I even figured out theta but I got a new displacement angle of 299 and a vector heading of 300 but i am not sure of the formulas that I used or if any of this is right, thanks for your help
 
How did you get that?

If we start at the Origin

180 at 240º -- This vector should be in Quadrant III. It should make a 30º angle with and below the negative x-axis.

35 at 150º -- You may have confused yourself on this one. Or, maybe it's the problem statement's fault. 150º is NOT Northwest. Wind direction often is reported as FROM somewhere. Although the first vector was "travelling" south west, this guy is FROM the north west, blowing south east. If you draw this vector and a perpendicular due south, this vector should make a 30º angle to the right of the perpendicular.

240º - 150º = 90º -- You should just have created a right triangle with sides 180 and 35.

Give it another go.
 
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