Question

A 165.8-N bird feeder is supported by three cables as shown in the figure below. Find the tension in each cable.
left cable - ???
right cable - ???
bottom cable - ???

www.webassign.net/sercp9/4-p-019.gif

Answer 1

Bottom cable first :) 165.8 N

handy 30+60 = 90 :)
draw vertical line through the point where three cables meet
then vertical problem:
Tleft cos 30 + Tright cos 60 = 168 (net = weight)
and horizontal problem (net = 0)
Tleft cos 60 = Tright cos 30
solve for Tleft and Tright