Question

direction question
so if your given lets say 39 m/s 210 degrees, its saying that your velocity is a negative right? because 210 degrees is in the south west quadrants

Answer 1

so your answer could be 39 m/s 210 degrees or

-39m/s?

Answer 2

If it is stated for the coordinate system you are using that anything along the positive x-axis is positive and anything along the positive y-axis is positive, then yes, you are correct.

In most circumstances, 0 degrees is a convention- it is considered to be positive motion directly along the x-axis. 90 degrees would be positive motion along the y-axis. So I would say you are safe in your assumption. 210 degrees is really just 30 degrees offset from the x-axis where both the x and y components of velocity are negative.