Question

An airplane has a speed of 300km/h and is headed due west. A wind is blowing from the south at 50km/h. Determine the resultant velocity of the airplane.

answer: 304.14km/h, W9.46N

How do I draw the position diagram? I'm getting confused because of the wind direction..

Answer 1

add vectors?

Answer 2

<-300,0> + <0,-50>

Answer 3

t <-300,-50> = position vector; t = scalar factor for time

Answer 4

from the south; lol

Answer 5

<-300,50> then

Answer 6

tan^-1(-5/30) gets direction; add

Answer 7

Yes, I know that I have to add the vectors but how would the position diagram look like? I would draw the plane going west, but would the wind approach the airplane from the tail or the head? :S

Answer 8

from the left

Answer 9

plane headed west; wind from the south; hits it on the left side right?

Answer 10

So the wind vector is below the plane? (if that makes sense lol)

Answer 11

yes; but draw your plane by looking down on it; like from a satellite

Answer 12

if your headed down the road and someone tries to cross the road; if they hit you on the side of your car correct?

Answer 13

Yes, that's right

Answer 14

But when I draw it, I don't know how to the resultant velocity would look like because the wind and plane vector aren't tail to tail..

Answer 15

add the wind to the nose of the plane to add them together

Answer 16

vectors arent anchored by anthing; they move around and we actually pick an equal vector that is located at the nose of the plane to add them

Answer 17

a vector is defined as magnitude and direction; there is nothing in the definition of a vector that states 'from a certain place'; is there?

Answer 18

Oh I see. I shouldn't limit myself to much lol. Well, thanks amistre, now I understand :)

Answer 19

yw :)