Your car is stuck in the mud and two friends are helping you. One is pulling on your car with a force of 370 N at a 40 degree angle and the other is pulling with a force of 450 N at a 30 degree angle. A force of 725 N is required to remove the car. Is the car still stuck? Please show me how to arrive at the answer.

1 answer

F = 370 N @ 40 deg. + 450 N @ 30 deg.

X = hor = 370 * cos40 + 450 * cos30,
= 283.4 + 389.7 = 673.1 N.

Y = ver = 370 * sin40 + 450 * sin30,
= 237.8 + 225 = 462.8 N.

tanA = Y/X = 462.8 / 673.1 = 0.6876,
A = 34.5 deg.

F = X / cosA = 673.1/cos34.5 = 816.7N.

816.7 N > 725 N.
Therefore, the car is no longer stuck.

X and Y represent the hor and ver side of a rt triangle and F is the hyp
or Resultant.