Trigonometry vector problem...help?

Question

a wind blowing from the southwest exerts a 213-pound force on a sailboat that is on a heading of 85 degrees. Find the vector that represents the force propelling the boat, and its norm.

Answer 1

It doesn't matter if you take a nautical approach and measure 85 degrees from north, or take a mathematical approach and measure 85 degrees from the positive x axis. By symmetry both interpretations are congruent and the answer will be the same. See the pic:

http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/ff177/jsardi56/?action=view¤t=heading85deg11-28-07.jpg

Component propelling the boat = 213cos40 = 163.17pounds
norm = 213 sin40 = 136.91pounds