# Thread: can anyone help me with trig? asap?

1. ## can anyone help me with trig? asap?

question= two forcesm one of 120 lbs and the other of 200 lbs, act on the same object at angles of 30 degrees and -30 degrees (respectively) with the positive x-axis. find the direction and magnitude of the resultant of these 2 forces

2. Originally Posted by kballa
question= two forcesm one of 120 lbs and the other of 200 lbs, act on the same object at angles of 30 degrees and -30 degrees (respectively) with the positive x-axis. find the direction and magnitude of the resultant of these 2 forces
we have magnitude and direction, so we should be thinking vectors here.

draw a diagram showing the Cartesian axis and your vectors.

Let $\displaystyle F_1$ be the vector that represents the force of 120 lbs
and $\displaystyle F_2$ be the vector representing the 200 lbs

then the resultant force $\displaystyle F$ is given by: $\displaystyle F = F_1 + F_2$

i suppose you will know how to draw these vectors.

let $\displaystyle <x_1,y_1>$ be the terminal point of $\displaystyle F_1$

and $\displaystyle <x_2,y_2>$ be the terminal point of $\displaystyle F_2$

so, we would have $\displaystyle F = <x,y> = <x_1 + x_2,y_1 + y_2>$

once we have $\displaystyle <x,y>$ we can figure out what is required of us.

can you continue? do you even know what i am talking about?