A swimmer wants to cross a river from point A to point B . Line AB makes an angle of 30∘ with the flow of river. Magnitude of velocity of the swimmer is same as that of the river. The angle θ with the line AB should be ____ ∘, so that the swimmer reaches point B .
Answer: 30
Solution
Let the river speed and the swimmer's speed both be v. The river flows at 30∘ to the line AB, and the swimmer heads at θ to AB on the other side. The swimmer arrives at B only if the resultant velocity lies along AB, that is if the components perpendicular to AB cancel: