# Equilibrium of Particles

## Homework Statement

Here is the problem that I am stuck on in my mechanics class.

F=-kx

## The Attempt at a Solution

See the attached picture of my work
I'm so stuck. I don't know what to do from here.

## Answers and Replies

Nathanael
Homework Helper
Why do you think the change in length of spring AB is 3 meters?

P.S.
Just a tip, there's no reason to find the angles spring AB makes; you only care about the sine or cosine of the angles which corresponds to ratios of the sides of the triangle. Finding (and rounding) the angle, like you did, may lead to less accuracy in the final answer.

Nathanael
Homework Helper

What can you say about the ratio between "Facx" and "Facy"?

haruspex
Homework Helper
Gold Member
Why do you think the change in length of spring AB is 3 meters?
Because the unstretched length has been taken as 2m instead of 3m.

What can you say about the ratio between "Facx" and "Facy"
tan(45)=FACy/FACx or, they're directly proportional bc tan(45) = 1
FACy = FACx
What do I do with this?

Nathanael
Homework Helper
tan(45)=FACy/FACx or, they're directly proportional bc tan(45) = 1
FACy = FACx
What do I do with this?
You calculated FACx so now you know FACy. You also calculated FABy. So what is the weight of block D?

But actually you calculated incorrectly, you'll need to recalculate (but I think you had the right idea). The problem says the unstretched length is 3 meters, not 2 meters.