PROBLEM 2.

77
A horizontal circular plate is suspended as shown from three wires which
are attached to a support at D and form 30° angles with the vertical.
Knowing that the x component of the force exerted by wire AD on the
plate is 220.6 N, determine (a) the tension in wire AD, (b) the angles θx,
θy, and θz that the force exerted at A forms with the coordinate axes.

SOLUTION

(a) Fx = F sin 30° sin 50° = 220.6 N (Given)

220.6 N
F = = 575.95 N
sin30° sin50°

F = 576 N

Fx 220.6
(b) cosθ x = = = 0.3830
F 575.95

θ x = 67.5°

Fy = F cos 30° = 498.79 N

Fy 498.79
cosθ y = = = 0.86605
F 575.95

θ y = 30.0°

Fz = − F sin 30° cos 50°

= − ( 575.95 N ) sin 30° cos 50°

= −185.107 N

Fz −185.107
cosθ z = = = −0.32139
F 575.95
θ z = 108.7°

81
 PROBLEM 2.78
A horizontal circular plate is suspended as shown from three wires which
are attached to a support at D and form 30° angles with the vertical.
Knowing that the z component of the force exerted by wire BD on the
plate is –64.28 N, determine (a) the tension in wire BD, (b) the angles θx,
θy, and θz that the force exerted at B forms with the coordinate axes.

SOLUTION

(a) Fz = − F sin 30° sin 40° = −64.28 N (Given)

64.28 N
F = = 200.0 N F = 200 N
sin30° sin40°

(b) Fx = − F sin 30° cos 40°

= − ( 200.0 N ) sin 30° cos 40°

= −76.604 N

Fx −76.604
cosθ x = = = −0.38302 θ x = 112.5°
F 200.0

Fy = F cos 30° = 173.2 N

Fy 173.2
cosθ y = = = 0.866 θ y = 30.0°
F 200

Fz = −64.28 N

Fz −64.28
cosθ z = = = −0.3214 θ z = 108.7°
F 200

82
 PROBLEM 2.79
A horizontal circular plate is suspended as shown from three wires which
are attached to a support at D and form 30° angles with the vertical.
Knowing that the tension in wire CD is 120 lb, determine (a) the
components of the force exerted by this wire on the plate, (b) the angles
θx, θy, and θz that the force forms with the coordinate axes.

SOLUTION

(a) Fx = − (120 lb ) sin 30° cos 60° = −30 lb

Fx = −30.0 lb

Fy = (120 lb ) cos 30° = 103.92 lb

Fy = +103.9 lb

Fz = (120 lb ) sin 30° sin 60° = 51.96 lb

Fz = +52.0 lb

Fx −30.0
(b) cosθ x = = = −0.25
F 120

θ x = 104.5°

Fy 103.92
cosθ y = = = 0.866
F 120

θ y = 30.0°

Fz 51.96
cosθ z = = = 0.433
F 120

θ z = 64.3°

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 PROBLEM 2.80
A horizontal circular plate is suspended as shown from three wires which
are attached to a support at D and form 30° angles with the vertical.
Knowing that the x component of the forces exerted by wire CD on the
plate is –40 lb, determine (a) the tension in wire CD, (b) the angles θx, θy,
and θz that the force exerted at C forms with the coordinate axes.

SOLUTION

(a) Fx = − F sin 30° cos 60° = −40 lb (Given)

40 lb
F = = 160 lb
sin30° cos60°

F = 160.0 lb

Fx −40
(b) cosθ x = = = −0.25
F 160

θ x = 104.5°

Fy = (160 lb ) cos 30° = 103.92 lb

Fy 103.92
cosθ y = = = 0.866
F 160

θ y = 30.0°

Fz = (160 lb ) sin 30° sin 60° = 69.282 lb

Fz 69.282
cosθ z = = = 0.433
F 160

θ z = 64.3°

84
 PROBLEM 2.81
Determine the magnitude and direction of the force
F = ( 800 lb ) i + ( 260 lb ) j − ( 320 lb ) k.

SOLUTION

F = Fx2 + Fy2 + Fz2 = (800 lb )2 + ( 260 lb )2 + ( −320 lb )2 F = 900 lb

Fx 800
cosθ x = = = 0.8889 θ x = 27.3°
F 900

Fy 260
cosθ y = = = 0.2889 θ y = 73.2°
F 900

Fz −320
cosθ z = = = −0.3555 θ z = 110.8°
F 900

85
 PROBLEM 2.82
Determine the magnitude and direction of the force
F = ( 400 N ) i − (1200 N ) j + ( 300 N ) k.

SOLUTION

F = Fx2 + Fy2 + Fz2 = ( 400 N )2 + ( −1200 N )2 + ( 300 N )2 F = 1300 N

Fx 400
cosθ x = = = 0.30769 θ x = 72.1°
F 1300

Fy −1200
cosθ y = = = −0.92307 θ y = 157.4°
F 1300

Fz 300
cosθ z = = = 0.23076 θ z = 76.7°
F 1300

86
 PROBLEM 2.83
A force acts at the origin of a coordinate system in a direction defined by
the angles θx = 64.5° and θz = 55.9°. Knowing that the y component of
the force is –200 N, determine (a) the angle θy, (b) the other components
and the magnitude of the force.

SOLUTION

(a) We have

( cosθ x )2 + ( cosθ y ) ( ) ( ) − ( cosθ z )2

2 2 2
+ ( cosθ z ) = 1 ⇒ cosθ y
2
= 1 − cosθ y

Since Fy < 0 we must have cosθ y < 0

Thus, taking the negative square root, from above, we have:

cosθ y = − 1 − ( cos 64.5° ) − ( cos 55.9° ) = −0.70735

2 2
θ y = 135.0°

(b) Then:

Fy −200 N
F = = = 282.73 N
cosθ y −0.70735

and Fx = F cosθ x = ( 282.73 N ) cos 64.5° Fx = 121.7 N

Fz = F cosθ z = ( 282.73 N ) cos 55.9° Fy = 158.5 N

F = 283 N

87
 PROBLEM 2.84
A force acts at the origin of a coordinate system in a direction defined by
the angles θx = 75.4° and θy = 132.6°. Knowing that the z component of
the force is –60 N, determine (a) the angle θz, (b) the other components
and the magnitude of the force.

SOLUTION

(a) We have

( cosθ x )2 + ( cosθ y ) ( ) ( ) − ( cosθ z )2

2 2 2
+ ( cosθ z ) = 1 ⇒ cosθ y
2
= 1 − cosθ y

Since Fz < 0 we must have cosθ z < 0

Thus, taking the negative square root, from above, we have:

cosθ z = − 1 − ( cos 75.4° ) − ( cos132.6° ) = −0.69159

2 2
θ z = 133.8°

(b) Then:

Fz −60 N
F = = = 86.757 N F = 86.8 N
cosθ z −0.69159

and Fx = F cosθ x = ( 86.8 N ) cos 75.4° Fx = 21.9 N

Fy = F cosθ y = ( 86.8 N ) cos132.6° Fy = −58.8 N

88
 PROBLEM 2.85
A force F of magnitude 400 N acts at the origin of a coordinate system.
Knowing that θx = 28.5°, Fy = –80 N, and Fz > 0, determine (a) the
components Fx and Fz, (b) the angles θy and θz.

SOLUTION

(a) Have

Fx = F cosθ x = ( 400 N ) cos 28.5° Fx = 351.5 N

Then:

F 2 = Fx2 + Fy2 + Fz2

So: ( 400 N )2 = ( 352.5 N ) + ( −80 N ) + Fz2

2 2

Hence:

Fz = + ( 400 N )2 − ( 351.5 N )2 − ( −80 N )2 Fz = 173.3 N

(b)

Fy −80
cosθ y = = = −0.20 θ y = 101.5°
F 400

Fz 173.3
cosθ z = = = 0.43325 θ z = 64.3°
F 400

89
 PROBLEM 2.86
A force F of magnitude 600 lb acts at the origin of a coordinate system.
Knowing that Fx = 200 lb, θz = 136.8°, Fy < 0, determine (a) the
components Fy and Fz, (b) the angles θx and θy.

SOLUTION

(a) Fz = F cosθ z = ( 600 lb ) cos136.8°

= −437.4 lb Fz = −437 lb

Then:

F 2 = Fx2 + Fy2 + Fz2

( 600 lb )2 = ( 200 lb )2 + ( Fy )
2
+ ( −437.4 lb )
2
So:

Hence: Fy = − ( 600 lb )2 − ( 200 lb )2 − ( −437.4 lb )2

= −358.7 lb Fy = −359 lb

(b)

Fx 200
cosθ x = = = 0.333 θ x = 70.5°
F 600

Fy −358.7
cosθ y = = = −0.59783 θ y = 126.7°
F 600

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