Question

A golfer takes two putts to sink his ball in the hole once he is on the green. The first putt displaces the ball 5.90 m east, and the second putt displaces it 5.20 m south. What displacement would put the ball in the hole in one putt?

Answer 1

Answer on Question #39480, Physics, Mechanics | Kinematics | Dynamics

Question:

A golfer takes two putts to sink his ball in the hole once he is on the green. The first putt displaces the ball $5.90 \, \text{m}$ east, and the second putt displaces it $5.20 \, \text{m}$ south. What displacement would put the ball in the hole in one putt?

Answer:

By Pythagorean theorem:

$$d = \sqrt {5 . 9 ^ {2} + 5 . 2 ^ {2}} = 7. 9 m$$

And directed:

$$\alpha = \arctan \frac {5 . 9}{5 . 2} = 4 8. 6 {}^ {\circ}$$

Answer: $7.9 \, m \, 48.6{}^{\circ}$ East of South