A plane has an airspeed of 200 m/s northward, and is in a wind of 50.0 m/s to the west. The plane's speed relative to the ground is
A) 250 m/s.
B) 206 m/s.
C) 200 m/s.
D) 150 m/s.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The plane's speed relative to the ground is found by combining the plane's airspeed vector with the wind's speed vector. This is done using the Pythagorean theorem since the vectors are perpendicular: $\sqrt{(200)^2 + (50)^2} = \sqrt{40000 + 2500} = \sqrt{42500} \approx 206$ m/s.

A Plane Has an Airspeed of 200 M/s Northward, and Is