Forces problem!!?

Question

A canoe of mass 70kg with a paddler of mass 55 kg are in a river. If the river's current exerts a force of 15N [E] while the paddler is paddling with an average force of 22N [N38W], find the acceleration of the canoe and paddler. Use both component and trignometric method.

Answer 1

Now I understand it. Ok, first draw the "x" and "y" axiss. The positive value of the x axiss is the East, the opposite is the West.
The positive value of y axiss is the North, and the opposite is the South.

The angle of 38 degrees, is the angle between the force and the North. So the complement of 38 degrees, will be the angle between the force and the West : 90 - 38 = 52º

Force = 22 N

The force in x : -22*cos52

the force in y : 22*sen52

the river's current force : 15 N to the East so it will have only one component in "x" :

Force of the river in x : 15

Then : 22*cos52 - 15 = m*a

m = 55 + 70 = 125 kg

15 - 22*cos52= 125a

a = 0.01 m / s^2

Hope that might help you