| Exam Board | Edexcel |
|---|---|
| Module | M1 (Mechanics 1) |
| Marks | 5 |
| Paper | Download PDF ↗ |
| Mark scheme | Download PDF ↗ |
| Topic | Forces, equilibrium and resultants |
| Type | Bearing and compass direction problems |
| Difficulty | Moderate -0.8 This is a straightforward vector addition problem using the cosine rule and sine rule with a clearly defined angle (70°). It requires only standard trigonometric techniques taught early in M1 with no problem-solving insight needed—simpler than average A-level questions but not trivial since it involves multi-step calculation. |
| Spec | 3.03a Force: vector nature and diagrams3.03p Resultant forces: using vectors |
| Answer | Marks | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| (a) \(R = 2(5 \sin 55°) = 8.19 \text{ N}\) | M1 A1 A1; M1 A1 | 5 marks |
| (b) Bearing = \(035°\) |
(a) $R = 2(5 \sin 55°) = 8.19 \text{ N}$ | M1 A1 A1; M1 A1 | 5 marks
(b) Bearing = $035°$ | |Two forces, both of magnitude 5 N, act on a particle in the directions with bearings 000° and 070°, as shown.
\includegraphics{figure_1}
Calculate
\begin{enumerate}[label=(\alph*)]
\item the magnitude of the resultant force on the particle, [3 marks]
\item the bearing on which this resultant force acts. [2 marks]
\end{enumerate}
\hfill \mbox{\textit{Edexcel M1 Q1 [5]}}