A window washer is standing on a scaffold supported by a vertical rope at each end. The scaffold weighs 192 N and is 3.4 m long. What is the tension in each rope when the 708-N worker stands 2.40 m from one end?

Question

Smaller tension: ___N
Larger tension: ___N

Answer 1

you know the sum of tensions is equal to weight, that leads to tension 1=(708+192)-tension2

Now sum moments. Let tension1 be the rope on one end.

Summing moments about end 1
192*3.4/2 + 2.40*708-3.4*tension2=0
solve for tension 2, then use the first equation to solve for tension 1. You have the answers.