Question

Two donkeys are tied to the same pole. One donkey pulls the pole at a strength of 5 N in a direction that is a 50° rotation from the east. The other donkey pulls the pole at a strength of 4 N in a direction that is a 170° rotation from the east. What is the combined strength of the donkeys' pulls?

a. 2 N
b. 3 N
c. 6 N
d. 9 N

Answer 1

The combined strength of the donkeys' pulls is approximately 6 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the combined strength of the donkeys' pulls, we can break down their forces into their horizontal and vertical components.

The first donkey's force of 5 N at a 50° rotation from the east can be split into a horizontal component of 5 N * cos(50°) and a vertical component of 5 N * sin(50°).

The second donkey's force of 4 N at a 170° rotation from the east can be split into a horizontal component of 4 N * cos(170°) and a vertical component of 4 N * sin(170°).

By adding up the horizontal components and the vertical components separately, we can find the combined strength of the donkeys' pulls using the Pythagorean theorem. The result is approximately 6 N, so the correct answer is option c. 6 N.