Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
An ice-hockey puck slides east at . A player's stick strikes it, and it moves off north at . The stick touches the puck for .
A change is always final minus initial: . Subtract part by part. The average acceleration is , in the direction of .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Given. (east), (north), .
Step 1. The change. .
Step 2. Its size and direction. . It points west and north: north of west.
Step 3. Average acceleration. , in the same direction as .
Answer: (a) , at north of west. (b) .
Check. The change is bigger than either speed. That is right: the stick had to stop the eastward motion and start a northward one.
Watch out. is the change in speed. It is not the change in velocity.
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