Question

Anna starts at the classroom door and walks: 2.0 meters, West; 12.0 meters, North; 21.0 meters, West; 8.0 meters, South; and 3.0 meters, East.

What is the magnitude and direction of her W/E resultant vector component?

Answer 1

The magnitude of Anna's W/E resultant vector component is 20.0 meters, and the direction is West, after subtracting the Eastward distance from the Westward distance.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the magnitude and direction of Anna's W/E resultant vector component, we need to consider only the distances she walked in the West and East directions. Anna walks a total of 23.0 meters West (2.0 meters + 21.0 meters) and then walks 3.0 meters East. To find the resultant vector, we subtract the distance she walked East from the distance she walked West.

Resultant W/E vector = Total West - Total East

Resultant W/E vector = 23.0 meters West - 3.0 meters East

Resultant W/E vector = 20.0 meters West

The magnitude of Anna's W/E resultant vector is 20.0 meters, and the direction is West.