On a very muddy football field, a 100 kg linebacker tackles an 75 kg halfback. Immediately before the collision, the linebacker is slipping with a velocity of 8.5 m/s north and the halfback is sliding with a velocity of 7.5 m/s east.

What is the magnitude of the velocity at which the two players move together immediately after the collision?
What is the direction of this velocity?

1 answer

100*8.5 = 175* Vnorth
75*7.5 = 175*Veast

|V| = sqrt(Vnorth^2+Veast^2)

T is angle East of north
(note, compass angle, not math angle)
tan T = Veast/Vnorth