Two tugboats are towing a ship. Each tugboat exerts a force of 8500N on the ship and there is a 35 degrees angle between their two ropes. Draw a scale diagram and calculate the size and direction of the resultant force on the ship.

Answer 1

2 * 8500 * cos 17.5 ahead
zero sideways, equal and opposite components

Answer 2

All angles are measured CCW from +x-axis.
(180-35)/2 = 72.5o.

Fr = 8500N[180-72.5] + 8500N[72.5] = Resultant force.
X = 8500*Cos107.5 + 8500*Cos72.5 = 0.
Y = 8500*sin107.5 + 8500*sin72.5 = 16,213 N.

Fr = x + yi = 0 + 16,213i = 16,213N[90o].