A plane is headed due east with an airspeed of 340mph. Its true course, however, is at 98degrees from due north. If the wind currents are a constant 55mph what are the possibilities for the ground speed of the plane?
2007-12-06 16:07:11 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
I don't know the problem so obviously I need help. You think I didn't do this problem over 5 times?
2007-12-06 16:11:44 · update #1
Using the Law of cosines,
340^2 + s^2 - 2*340scos8° = 55^2
s^2 - 2*340scos8° + 115545 = 0
s = (2*340cos8° ± √((2*340cos8°)^2 - 4*115545))/2
s = 340cos8° ± √((340cos8°)^2 - 112575)
s ≈ 336.6911 ± √((113360.926025236 - 112575)
s ≈ 336.6911 ± √((785.92602523483)
s ≈ 336.6911 ± 28.03437
s ≈ 309 mph or 365 mph
2007-12-06 17:02:30 · answer #1 · answered by Helmut 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd like to help, but it seems that there is missing information: what is the direction of the wind?
2007-12-07 00:24:25 · answer #2 · answered by rustabout 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you except strangers on the internet to do your math homework for you, you crazy fool!
2007-12-07 00:09:46 · answer #3 · answered by Bobby B 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
sorry, never took trig.
2007-12-07 00:16:28 · answer #4 · answered by hop0409 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋