Question

What are (a) the x component and (b) the y component of a vector in the xy plane if its direction is 250° counterclockwise from the positive direction of the x axis and its magnitude is 7.3 m?

Answer 1

Answer:

  (-2.497, -6.860)

Step-by-step explanation:

For any magnitude r and direction θ, the translation to rectangular coordinates is ...

  (r, θ) ⇒ (x, y)

  (r, θ) ⇒ (r·cos(θ), r·sin(θ))

Your coordinates translate to ...

  (7.3, 250°) ⇒ (7.3·cos(250°), 7.3·sin(250°)) ≈ (-2.497, -6.860)