MHB Analytic Geometry: Confused on How to Solve Problem

[chiami]

I am actually very confused on how to solve the problem. Do I just find the distance between the lines? How do I incorporate the 500 Newtons into the problem? Really confused.

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[Greg]

Hello chiami and welcome to MHB! :D

We ask that our users show their progress (work thus far or thoughts on how to begin) when posting questions. This way our helpers can see where you are stuck or may be going astray and will be able to post the best help possible without potentially making a suggestion which you have already tried, which would waste your time and that of the helper.

Can you post what you have done so far?

 

[chiami]

Hello chiami and welcome to MHB! :D

We ask that our users show their progress (work thus far or thoughts on how to begin) when posting questions. This way our helpers can see where you are stuck or may be going astray and will be able to post the best help possible without potentially making a suggestion which you have already tried, which would waste your time and that of the helper.

Can you post what you have done so far?

i edited what I wrote the first time, and it explains that I can't really explain what I don't know because I don't even know where to start

 

[HallsofIvy]

If, in fact, you have absolutely no idea where to start, you need to talk to your teacher. For one thing, you titled this "how to find distance between lines". What lines? If you mean the lines supporting the block, that "distance" is 0 because they all meet at the block! What you need to do is find the three x, y, and z components of the forces. As the weight is not "swaying" from side to side, the x and y components must sum to 0. Since the weight itself is 500 Newtons, the sum of the z-components must be 500 Newtons. That gives you three equations to solve for the three tensions.

Again, if you really do not know how to do any of those things, you need to talk to your teacher who clearly believes you should.