A pilot flies out of Cleveland and sets his compass due North. He maintains an airspeed of 250 km/hr. After 30 minutes he finds that the plane is 200 km north and 40 km west of the starting point. What is the velocity of the wind?

I've made my triangle and found the hypotenuse and the angles inside. I just don't know what's the next step to finding the wind velocity?

1 answer

flying N at 250 km/h for 30 min should put him at 125 km N of the start

the wind has pushed him 75 km N and 40 km W in 30 min

so the wind is blowing 150 km/h N and 80 km/h W

Vw² = 150² + 80²

the tangent of the angle (west of north) is...8/15