View Full Version : Calculate the displacement and the velocity of the boat
kevin_smit
Feb 14, 2011, 11:53 AM
A boat travels 100 km [N], then 40km [N], and finally 80 km[S]. The trip takes 6.5 hours
Unknown008
Feb 14, 2011, 11:57 AM
Displacement is the vector sum of all the three parts of the trip. On a sketch, it is the distance between the final point of the boat and its initial point, with the direction indicated.
The velocity is simply dividing displacement by time.
kevin_smit
Feb 14, 2011, 12:09 PM
Thanks man but the only thing I'm stuck on is if the boat is 140 km [N] of the point of reference and its saying that the boat traveled 80 km [S] is that subtracting 80 from 140. Or d0 I have to go from +140 past the piont of reference all the way down to 80 km [S]
Unknown008
Feb 14, 2011, 12:14 PM
Make a little diagram. How would you get the distance from the final point to the starting point? :)
It's obviously (100 + 40 - 80)
Is that okay with you now? :)