A wagon is pulled by a force of 60 pounds on the handle at an angle of 45 degrees to horizontal. What is the work done in moving the wagon 50 feet up a 15 degree hill?

I know how to find work in pulling the object horizontally. I don't know what changes when I pull the object uphill.

1 Answer
May 9, 2018

kidslearningmath.net edited

Work done #W=vecFcdot vecs#

#=>W=|vecF| |vecs| cos theta#
where #theta# is the anlge between force and displacement

Inserting given values and noting from the figure that #theta=45-15=30^@# we get

#W=60xx 50\ cos 30^@#
#=>W=60xx 50\ cos 30^@#
#=>W=2598\ ftcdotlb#