Final answer:
The question discussions static equilibrium in an engineering context to find tensions in cables supporting a scaffold. The mass and position of the painter and equipment are critical to determining these tensions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question is Engineering, specifically related to the physics and calculations involved in the equilibrium of a suspended scaffold system. In engineering problems such as this, it is important to apply the principles of static equilibrium to determine the forces in the system. To find the tensions in the cables supporting the scaffold, we should sum the forces and moments to zero because the system is in static equilibrium.
For these types of problems, we typically use the sum of forces in the vertical direction (ΣFy = 0) and the sum of moments about any point (ΣM = 0) to solve for the unknowns. The mass of the painter and the equipment, as well as their positions on the scaffold, will influence the tension in each cable.