SOLUTION: After driving 30.0 km west, a car turns southwest and proceeds another 60.0 km. What is the displacement (in kilometers) of the car from the point of origin (magnitude only)?

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Question 1189852: After driving 30.0 km west, a car turns southwest and proceeds another 60.0 km. What is the displacement (in
kilometers) of the car from the point of origin (magnitude only)?
I tried to do so x=51.054 and so y=61.519 then to find the magnitude of displacement I used MagofDis=
The answer I got was 6391.137567km but it does not look right.
Found 2 solutions by ikleyn, greenestamps:
Answer by ikleyn(52810)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
After driving 30.0 km west, a car turns southwest and proceeds another 60.0 km. What is the displacement (in
kilometers) of the car from the point of origin (magnitude only)?
I tried to do so x=51.054 and so y=61.519 then to find the magnitude of displacement I used MagofDis=
The answer I got was 6391.137567km but it does not look right.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


You have a triangle with two sides of 30 km and 60 km and the angle of 135° between them.


You need to find the side length d opposite to this angle.


Use the cosine law

     d =  = 83.938 km  (rounded).    ANSWER

Solved.



Answer by greenestamps(13202)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!


Your process is fine; but obviously 6391km can't be right....

(1) Your calculations for and are not correct. and are the same, so the difference between your x and y should be exactly 30.

(2) After finding , you didn't take the square root, as you said you were going to.
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