Electric current and forces problem

[steve12]

Hi,im trying to work out this problem but i am slightly confused by the way in which it is phrased.It states:

Three parallel wires,arranged in the form of an equilateral triangle, of side length 10cm,each carry a current of 50A in the same direction.Calculate the force on anyone wire due to the other two.


I am going to use: F = (2*10^-7)(50)(50)/d

however i don't know what value to enter for the distance d between them.i also don't understand how the three wires can be parallel yet arranged in the form of an equilateral triangle??do i just resolve the components of one wire into parallel and perpendicular to the 2nd wire and use the parallel value in my calculations maybe?

any help or guidance would be much appreciated
thanks steve

 

[Hootenanny]

The wires (#) are arranged like so;

...#


#...#

(ignore the dots) going into and out of the screen; therefore d = 10cm in each case. Please post your homework questions in the homework forums in future, thanks

 

[steve12]

oh i see,thanks a mill for that!and sorry-will do in future!
cheers
steve