Vectors and Projectiles - Mission VP6 Detailed Help

A boat begins at point A and heads straight across a river. Because of the 2 m/s river current, the boat lands on the opposite shore at point C. If the river current was 3 m/s, then the boat ...

 
 
If a boat heads straight across a river, then it is the motor of the boat that provides the power to carry the boat perpendicular to the river's banks. While the boat heads towards the opposite shore, it is the current that provides the power to carry the boat parallel to the river's banks. The current carries the boat down the river. And the distance which the boat is carried down the river is dependent upon the time of travel and the speed of the current. The faster the current, the further downstream that the boat will land on the opposite shore (see Formula Frenzy section).


 
For a boat which heads straight across a river, the distance which it travels downstream is dependent upon the time of travel and the river velocity in accordance with the formula:
 
ddownstream= vriver• time