Question

A plane is in the jet stream which has a speed of 150km/hr East.
You are flying in a plane traveling at 250km/hr. Your destination is 1000km away to the North
(a) Draw this problem on a piece of paper. Label the vectors with their speed.
(b) Change each of the speeds to m/s (divide by 3.6) and change the distance to meters.
(c) Which way will you have to point the plane to reach its destination successfully -towards the west, Northwards, towards the East?
(d) Draw the vector diagram to show this
(e) What is the length of the north vector?

Answer 1

Solution.

$\upsilon_1 = 150 km/hr = 41.7 m/s;$

$\upsilon_2 = 250 km/hr = 69.4 m/s;$

$\upsilon = \sqrt{\upsilon_2^2 - \upsilon_1^2};$

$\upsilon = \sqrt{69.4^2 - 41.7^2}= 55.57 m/s$ - the length of the north vector;

Answer: $\upsilon = 55.57 m/s.$