Final answer:
The calculation involves determining the force exerted by each of 10 braces on a wall under strong wind conditions and converting inches to centimeters for the spacing of vertical studs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the force exerted on lateral bracing used in construction. Specifically, the exercise involves calculating the force exerted by each of the 10 braces on a wall under construction that is subjected to a strong wind force. Additionally, the question asks to convert a distance commonly used for placing vertical studs from inches to centimeters.
If a strong wind exerts a horizontal force of 650 N on each square meter of a 17.0-m-high and 11.0-m-long wall, with the force acting halfway up the wall, the total force on the wall can be calculated first. This total force is then divided by the number of braces to find the force exerted by each brace. When converting the typical distance between vertical studs from 16.0 inches to centimeters, we use the conversion factor that 1 inch is equal to 2.54 centimeters, resulting in a distance of 40.64 centimeters.