Math Problem Statement

Question content area top Part 1 A ship leaves port on a bearing of 44.0degrees north of east and travels 12.9 mi. The ship then turns due east and travels 4.8 mi. How far is the ship from​ port, and what is its bearing from​ port? Question content area bottom Part 1 The ship is    enter your response here miles from the port. ​(Do not round until the final answer. Then round to the nearest tenth as​ needed.)

Solution

To solve this, we can break the problem into two parts using vector components and trigonometry.

Step 1: Break down the ship's path into components.

First leg of the journey:

  • The ship travels 12.9 miles at a bearing of 44° north of east.
    • The horizontal component (x-direction, east) is 12.9×cos(44)12.9 \times \cos(44^\circ).
    • The vertical component (y-direction, north) is 12.9×sin(44)12.9 \times \sin(44^\circ).

Second leg of the journey:

  • The ship then turns due east and travels 4.8 miles.
    • Since the ship is traveling due east, this leg only affects the horizontal (x-direction) by adding 4.8 miles. There is no vertical (north-south) change in position.

Step 2: Calculate total displacement.

  • The total horizontal displacement (x) is: xtotal=12.9×cos(44)+4.8x_{\text{total}} = 12.9 \times \cos(44^\circ) + 4.8
  • The total vertical displacement (y) is: ytotal=12.9×sin(44)y_{\text{total}} = 12.9 \times \sin(44^\circ)

Step 3: Use the Pythagorean theorem to find the total distance from the port.

Distance from the port=xtotal2+ytotal2\text{Distance from the port} = \sqrt{x_{\text{total}}^2 + y_{\text{total}}^2}

Step 4: Find the bearing.

The bearing is the angle measured clockwise from north. Using trigonometry: θ=tan1(xtotalytotal)\theta = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{x_{\text{total}}}{y_{\text{total}}}\right) Since the direction is east of north, this angle needs to be converted into a bearing by subtracting it from 90°.

Let's calculate each part.

Calculations:

  1. xfirst leg=12.9×cos(44)9.277x_{\text{first leg}} = 12.9 \times \cos(44^\circ) \approx 9.277 miles
  2. yfirst leg=12.9×sin(44)8.937y_{\text{first leg}} = 12.9 \times \sin(44^\circ) \approx 8.937 miles
  3. Total horizontal displacement: xtotal=9.277+4.8=14.077x_{\text{total}} = 9.277 + 4.8 = 14.077 miles
  4. Total vertical displacement: ytotal=8.937y_{\text{total}} = 8.937 miles

Using the Pythagorean theorem to find the distance from port: Distance=(14.077)2+(8.937)2198.162+79.879278.04116.68 miles\text{Distance} = \sqrt{(14.077)^2 + (8.937)^2} \approx \sqrt{198.162 + 79.879} \approx \sqrt{278.041} \approx 16.68 \text{ miles}

Bearing Calculation:

θ=tan1(14.0778.937)tan1(1.575)57.4\theta = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{14.077}{8.937}\right) \approx \tan^{-1}(1.575) \approx 57.4^\circ Since this is measured clockwise from north, the bearing is 9057.4=32.690^\circ - 57.4^\circ = 32.6^\circ east of north.

Final Answer:

  • The ship is approximately 16.7 miles from the port.
  • The bearing from the port is approximately 32.6° east of north.

Would you like further details or clarifications on this? Here are some related questions:

  1. How do bearings differ from angles in navigation?
  2. What is the importance of vector components in navigation?
  3. How can the Pythagorean theorem be applied in other real-life situations?
  4. Why is it necessary to use trigonometric functions when solving bearing problems?
  5. What role does the inverse tangent function play in determining bearings?

Tip: Always double-check the angles and directions used in navigation problems to ensure you’re measuring from the correct reference point!

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Trigonometry
Vector Components
Pythagorean Theorem
Bearings in Navigation

Formulas

Horizontal component: x = distance × cos(angle)
Vertical component: y = distance × sin(angle)
Pythagorean theorem: distance = √(x^2 + y^2)
Bearing calculation: θ = tan^(-1)(opposite/adjacent)

Theorems

Pythagorean Theorem
Inverse Tangent Function for Angle Calculation

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 10-12