Thread: Bearings Problem - driving me nuts!!

Plane A flies a distance of 220 miles in the direction N20(degrees)E.
Plane B departs from the same airport and flies a distance of 365 miles in the direction S55(degrees)W.

Calculate the distance between the two planes.

Any help would be much appreciated!!!
Thank you!!

Originally Posted by Shmomo89

Plane A flies a distance of 220 miles in the direction N20(degrees)E.
Plane B departs from the same airport and flies a distance of 365 miles in the direction S55(degrees)W.

Calculate the distance between the two planes.

Any help would be much appreciated!!!
Thank you!!

Use cosine theorem

Hello, Shmomo89!

repcvt gave you an excellent game plan . . .

Plane flies a distance of 220 miles in the direction N20°E.
Plane flies a distance of 365 miles from the same airport in the direction S55°W.

Calculate the distance between the two planes.

Code:

                            |
                            |           o A
                            |         **
                            |       * *
                            |     *  *
                            |   *   *
                            | *    *
                            *     * 220
                          * |    *
                        *   |20°*
                      *     |  *
                    *       | *
                  *         |*
  - - - - - - - * - - - - - o - - - - - - - -
              *         *55°|O
            *       *       |
          *     * 365       |
        *   *               |
    B o                     |

We find that

Now use the Law of Cosines on

. . . . . . etc.