Question

A vector is 26.2 m long and makes an angle of 60.0° counterclockwise from the y-axis (on the side of the –x-axis).What is the x-component of this vector?What is the y-component of this vector?

Answer 1

ANSWER:

The x-component of this vector is -22.7 m

The y-component of this vector is 13.1

STEP-BY-STEP EXPLANATION:

Given:

Magnitude: 26.2 m

Direction: 60°

The first thing is to make a sketch of the situation like this:

x-component of vector Z is:

$\begin{gathered} Z_x=-Z\cdot\sin \theta \\ Z_x=-26.2\cdot\sin 60 \\ Z_x=-22.7\text{ m} \end{gathered}$

y-component of vector Z is:

$\begin{gathered} Z_y=Z\cdot\cos \theta \\ Z_y=26.2\cdot\cos 60 \\ Z_y=13.1\text{ m} \end{gathered}$