Thread: Calc 3 vector problem

A plane flies 180 km hour. Takes off and heads due N. After 30 min travels 80 km at an angle 5 degrees East of North. What is the wind velocity? What is the wind speed? What direction should the pilot have headed to reach the intended destination of due North?

I'm trying to help someone with this problem but its been over 15 years since I took this class and forgot alot of since I mainly just work with algebra and geometry these days. I started out with the velocity vector then scratched my head alot and thought maybe you guys could help.

See attachment

Thanks for that very useful info... the part I don't understand now is how to figure: What direction should the pilot have headed to reach the intended destination of due North?

It would be 5deg W of North to see this draw a diagram where the airspeed vector of 180 is in a northwesterly direction the wind speed vector is 25 and the ground speed vector is 160.

Use the law of cosines to find the angle between the airspeed vector and due north