Question

A water skier is towed 65 m to the south of the starting point, and then is turned 40° cast of south for another 35m. What is the skier’s displacement from the starting point?

Answer 1

Using cosine law,

d^2 = 65^2 + 35^2 - 2(65)(35)cos140

= 8935.5022

d = sqrt(8935.5022)

= 94.5 m

Angle = inverseCos(35sin40 / 94.5) = 76.23 degrees South of East