A spacecraft on its way to Mars has small rocket engines mounted on its hull; one on its left surface and one on its back surface. At a certain time, both engines turn on. The one on the left gives the spacecraft an acceleration component in the x direction of ax = 5.10 m/s2,
while the one on the back gives an acceleration component in the y direction of
ay = 7.30 m/s2.
The engines turn off after firing for 670 s, at which point the spacecraft has velocity components of
vx = 3670 m/s and vy = 4378 m/s.
What was the magnitude and the direction of the spacecraft's initial velocity before the engines were turned on? Express the magnitude as m/s and the direction as an angle measured counterclockwise from the +x axis.

magnitude m/s
direction ° counterclockwise from the +x-axis

a)    v = 517.99 m / s,  b) θ = 296.3º

Explanation:

This is an exercise in kinematics, we are going to solve each axis independently

X axis

the acceleration is aₓ = 5.10 1 / S², they are on for t = 670 s and reaches a speed of vₓ=  3670 m / s, let's use the relation

           vₓ = v₀ₓ + aₓ t

           v₀ₓ = vₓ - aₓ t

           v₀ₓ = 3670 - 5.10 670

           v₀ₓ = 253 m / s

Y axis  

the acceleration is ay = 7.30 m / s², with a velocity of 4378 m / s after

t = 670 s

          v_y = v_{oy} + a_y t

          v_{oy} = v_y - a_y t

          v_oy} = 4378 - 7.30 670

          v_{oy}  = -513 m / s

to find the velocity modulus we use the Pythagorean theorem

          v =

          v =

          v = 517.99 m / s

to find the direction we use trigonometry

         tan θ ’=

         θ'= tan⁻¹    

         θ'= tan⁻¹ (-513/253)

         tea '= -63.7

the negative sign indicates that it is below the ax axis, in the fourth quadrant

to give this angle from the positive side of the axis ax

          θ = 360 -   θ  

          θ = 360 - 63.7

          θ = 296.3º

the skeletons of most mammals reach a certain size and then stop growing. however, many animals, including some mammals, keep growing throughout their lives. kangaroos, for example, just keep growing and growing until they die. also, the longer an animal lives the greater the chance it might catch some deadly disease.

see the picture for the vector

the magnitude of the vector by pythagorean theorem

r = √( (-10)^2 + (3)^2 ) = √109

magnitude = √109 units

the direction angle between vector and x-axis is

tan^(-1)(3/10) = 16.699

so the direction is approximately 16.7 degrees north of west