Calculating Masses from Fnet: What Am I Missing?

[JoeyBob]

Homework Statement

See attachwed

Relevant Equations

Fnet=ma, a1=-a2

The answer is supposed to be 2.32.

I've been trying to relate the two masses but am having troubles with it. Fnet for mass one would be m1a. Fnet for mass 2 would be -m2a.
The Fnets would be different though.

m2=-Fnet/a for mass two and m1=Fnet/a for mass one. I can't just divide m2 by m1 because the Fnets are different. Even if they did cancel, the ratio would just be 1 from it.

What am I missing here?

 

[Chestermiller]

Homework Statement:: See attachwed
Relevant Equations:: Fnet=ma, a1=-a2

The answer is supposed to be 2.32.

I've been trying to relate the two masses but am having troubles with it. Fnet for mass one would be m1a. Fnet for mass 2 would be -m2a.
The Fnets would be different though.

m2=-Fnet/a for mass two and m1=Fnet/a for mass one. I can't just divide m2 by m1 because the Fnets are different. Even if they did cancel, the ratio would just be 1 from it.

What am I missing here?

Nothing is attached.

 

[JoeyBob]

Nothing is attached.

Thanks. I think I just figured it out.

m1a=m1g-T and m2a=T-m2g. Solve for T and then subsitute into another equation. You can then do some algebra and get m1/m2=(-a-g)/(a-g).