This document provides examples and explanations for solving vector problems using the TriSolve program. It includes sample word problems involving distances, velocities, forces, and airplane headings that can be modeled with vectors. Instructions are given to use TriSolve to find resultant forces and angles for given vector components acting at various angles. Visualization techniques like sketching vectors tail-to-tail and using the triangle and parallelogram methods are also discussed.

1. A Little Help From a Friend, or ...
Solving
Vector
Problems
Using
TriSolve
a girl and her (scientific graphing) calculators by flickr user sean dreilinger

2. A man walks 350 m north, then 175 m east, and then 150 m
south. How far and in what direction is he from his starting point?
Round your answers to the nearest whole numbers.
HOMEWORK

3. Jack jogs north at 15 km/h for 30 minutes, and then turns east and
jogs at 12 km/h for 20 minutes.
HOMEWORK
(a) How far has he jogged in total?
(b) How far is he from his starting point?
(c) In what direction does he need to go to return directly to his
starting point?

4. Now let's apply what we've learned in some problems ...
Bruce and Jeff paddle their canoe 5.5 kilometres west, and then paddle
four kilometres south. How far are they from their starting point? What
direction must they paddle to return to the starting point by the shortest
route?

5. A ball is thrown horizontally against a wall with a velocity of 10 m/s. It rebounds with a velocity that has a magnitude of 75% of the initial velocity.
Visualizing the Process ...
Sketch two vectors to represent the two velocities.
>
l
ai
-t
The Triangle Method
-to >
p
ti
Resultant of Forces
(Addition of Vectors)
http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph14e/resultant.htm

6. A ball is thrown horizontally against a wall with a velocity of 10 m/s. It rebounds with a velocity that has a magnitude of 75% of the initial velocity.
Visualizing the Process ...
Sketch two vectors to represent the two velocities.
The Parallelogram Method
tail-to-tail >
>
Vector Calculator
http://comp.uark.edu/%7Ejgeabana/java/VectorCalc.html

7. Use the TRISOLVE program to
solve each of the following
problems.

8. Forces of 210 N and 85 N act at an angle of 78° to each other. Find
the resultant force and the angle it makes with the smaller force.
`
`

9. A large black ant pulls a breadcrumb N32°E with a force of 0.03 N.
A small red ant pulls with a 0.045 N force in the direction E5°S.
Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant force.
0.0644 N BEARING 70.48°
HOMEWORK

10. An airplane is flying with a heading of 150° and an airspeed of
550 mph. The airplane is flying through a jet stream which is
moving 175 mph with a heading of 80°. What is the velocity of
HOMEWORK
the airplane with respect to the ground?

11. PRE TEST
ON
MONDAY