How will the wind affect the plane's course and speed?

[cowgiljl]

An air plane is heading due north at a speed of 300km/hr. If a wind begins blowing from the southwest at a speed of 50.0 km/hr.
a) the resultant velocity of the plane
b) how far off course will the plane be after 30 min if the pilot takes corrective action

I have for the resulant = 295 km/hr I got it by using the triangle formula A^2+B^2=C^2

but on part B not sure how to go about it or even if part a is correct

Please

 

[HallsofIvy]

Why would A^2+B^2=C^2?

Yes, I know that's the Pythagorean theorem but that only applies to RIGHT triangles. If you draw a picture you have a triangle with one side (north) of length 300, another at 45 degrees (east of north) of length 50 and the unknown side connecting the two. In other words, you have a triangle with sides of length 300 and 50 and with angle between those two sides of 180-45= 135 degrees. That is definitely NOT a right triangle!

If you have had the COSINE LAW, this looks like a good candidate. Look that up and try it.

 

[HallsofIvy]

By the way, the answer to the second question:
"b) how far off course will the plane be after 30 min if the pilot takes corrective action"

is obviously "not off course at all" BECAUSE the pilot took corrective action!

Is it possible that the problem said "if the pilot takes NO correctie action"? "No" is a bad word to leave out!

 

[cowgiljl]

Yes i did leave out the word No on it a small but very important bit of information sorry