Question

A kicker punts a football from the very center of the field to the side line 37 yards down field. What is the displacement of the ball? (A football field is 53 yards wide.) What is the angel between the direction of the net displacement of the ball and the central line of the field?

Answer 1

The displacement would be the final position (37) minus the initial position (50) if using the displacement formula.

Answer 2

Explanation:

1. From the attached figure, the net displacement is given by line AB. It can be calculated using Pythagoras theorem as :

$AB=\sqrt{37^2+26.5^2}$

AB = 45.5 yards  

2. Let $\theta$ is the angle between the direction of the net displacement of the ball and the central line of the field. It can be calculated as :

$tan\theta=\dfrac{37}{26.5}$

$tan\theta=1.396$

$\theta=54.38^{\circ}$

Hence, this is the required solution.