Final answer:
The bar will exhibit angular motion when struck by an impulsive force at a location away from its pivot point.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a slender bar AB is struck by an impulsive force P at a location d from point A while hanging from a cable, the bar will exhibit angular motion. The force acts as a torque whenever the force is applied at some distance from the pivot point (the cable, in this case), causing the bar to rotate about that pivot point. If the force were applied at the pivot point or the center of mass (assuming the bar's mass is uniformly distributed), translational or linear motion might be observed instead.
However, due to the force being applied away from the pivot, the bar won't exhibit simple harmonic motion on its own unless it is part of a system that allows it to oscillate with a restoring force that is proportional to the displacement, such as being attached to a spring with no damping. Furthermore, simple harmonic motion implies a periodic oscillatory motion, which isn't necessarily implied by the question. Therefore, simple harmonic motion is inaccurate in this context.