Can someone please answer this for me, I have been trying to work it out but I get an incorrect answer. Thank you

Question

An object is objected to two forces: f1=112 lbs at 231degrees from the north clockwise and f2=108 lbs at N 16degrees W .. I have to find the components of F1 and write in standard form, using i and j.

Also, find the magnitude and direction of the resultant force on the object. (using NW, NE, SW, or SE to provide direction)

Answer 1

HI Yvonne G.,

Something doesn't add up in the problem statement. But maybe that "231 degrees from the north clockwise" is intended to be just a directional statement. So you would count off 231 degrees clockwise of North, that's 180 degrees plus another 51 degrees. So slightly beyond SW, right? So relative to E/W, that angle of application is 39 degrees S of W. So the components of f1 are -112*cos(39)i -112*sin(39)j -- in other words, they are both negative_signed components. Remember that force directions, unlike wind directions, are named for the directions they are going towards.

For the f2, N 16 degrees W means, head 16 degrees W of N. So the components are -108*cos(74)i + 108*sin(74)j

I always like to open my angles from the x-axis; that way the i component is always a cos, and the j component always a sin. I'll let you crank out the resultant and consequent direction(s).? -- Cheers. -- Mr. d.