Answer to Question #278462 in Physics for katie

Question

You are camping with two friends, Pal and Mer. Since all three of you like your privacy, you don’t pitch your tents close together. Pal’s tent is 30m from yours, in the direction 30o south of east. Mer’s tent is 50m from yours, in the direction 40o north of east. What is the distance between Pal’s tent and Mer’s tent? 

Answer 1

The distance is

$$d=\sqrt{d_P^2+d_M^2-2d_Pd_M\cos(\theta_P+\theta_M)}=48.7\text{ m}.$$