Question

two children push a toy car in opposite directions along a straight line. child a pushes with 20 n to the east, and child b pushes with 15 n to the west. what is the magnitude and direction of the net force?

Explanation:

Step1: Define positive and negative directions

Let East be positive ($F_A = 20N$), West be negative ($F_B=- 15N$).

Step2: Calculate net force

Use formula $F_{net}=F_A + F_B$.
Substitute values: $F_{net}=20+(-15)$.
$F_{net}=5N$.

Answer:

The magnitude of the net force is $5N$ and the direction is East.