Torque beam problem????????

[gnsdraw]

|\
| \
| \ rope
| \
| \
|wall \
| \
|......beam...37*
x |w

a beam is being held up by the rope due to the friction of the wall. the beam has a weight W, and a man is standing x distance away from the wall. the coefficient of friction with the wall is 1/2, the angle is 37*. what is the maximum distance towards the wall that the man can stand without falling.

i dont know how to start, the only thing i can think of is to use the torque at the angle =[


pic got messed up, rope on angle, wall on left

[tiny-tim]

|\
| \
| \ rope
| \
| \
|wall \
| \
|......beam...37*
x |w

a beam is being held up by the rope due to the friction of the wall. the beam has a weight W, and a man is standing x distance away from the wall. the coefficient of friction with the wall is 1/2, the angle is 37*. what is the maximum distance towards the wall that the man can stand without falling.

i dont know how to start, the only thing i can think of is to use the torque at the angle =[


pic got messed up, rope on angle, wall on left

Hi gnsdraw! :smile:

(hmm … use CODE tags … :wink:)

|\
| \
| \ rope
| \
| \
|wall \
| \
|......beam...37*
x |w

Hint: call the normal force N the friction force F and the tension force T.

When the beam is about to slip, F/N will be exactly 1/2, won't it? :wink:

So take horizontal and vertical components of all the forces acting on the beam. :smile:

[gnsdraw]

so along with fric force and tension, there are also gonna be two weights? could anyone show me how to set the torques up