Question

An airplane flies 20km in a direction 60 degrees north of east, then 30 km straight east, then 10km straight north. How far and in what direction is the plane from the starting point

Answer 1

Answer: 40 km (East)

Given:  

An airplane flies 20 km in a direction 60 degrees north of east, then 30 km straight east, then 10 km straight north. How far and in what direction is the plane from the starting point

Given that the airplane flies 20 Km in a direction 60˚east and then moves 30 Km straight east and then 10 Km form straight north

Solution:

Let us consider, Northern component of 20 km at 60 degrees = 20\times sin(60)

                                                                                                = 20\times 0.86602540378  

                                                                                                 =17.32 km north  

Eastern component of 20 km at 60 degrees = 20\times cos(60)

                                                                    = 20\times 0.5

                                                                    = 10 km east  

Therefore the distance covered by the plane = 10 km east + 30 km east = 40 km east