Banked Curve Problem: Solve Bicycle Speed & Friction Coefficient

[dansmith46]

Hey guys I know this is probably easy for most of you but I need help with a banked curve problem. The problem is as follows "Suppose you ride a bicycle in a 20-m-radius circle on a horizontal surface. The resultant force exerted by the surface on the bicycle (normal force plus frictional force) makes an angle of 15° with the vertical. (a) What is your speed? (b) If the frictional force on the bicycle is half its maximum possible value, what is the coefficient of static friction?"

 

[moogull]

remember the formula for centripetal acceleration:

hint: a_c = v²/r

where a is the centripetal acceleration, v is the velocity and r is the radius, that might get you started, and remember Newton's second law.