Finding force components on an inclined plane

[tibu]

Hello, I'm new here. Basically I have this practice exercise for my exam.:

A steel ball of mass 4.30 kg is suspended from two strings as shown in the picture. The upper string is at an angle of theta = 27.0° from the vertical, while the lower string is horizontal. Calculate the magnitude of T2, the tension in the lower string.

http://capa.hep.uprm.edu/msuphysicslib/Graphics/Gtype06/prob09_xph183f6pic2.gif

My general problem is that I'm bad with separating forces into components, and I assume this exercise deals with that. Can someone please point me in the right direction to solving this problem? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[daveed]

okay well, the vertical component of the top string would be equal to weight... baseically 4.3 kg*g(acceleration of gravity). that would be tension*sin27... find out tension, the horizontal components of the two strings cancel out... and the horizontal component of the top string would be tension*cos27

ah, by the way, there is a homework help section on the forum, scroll down to the lower section of the webpage and you should see it

 

[Tide]

Since gravity is vertical and the string on the right is horizontal you already know the horizontal and vertical components of the other string! :-)

 

[tibu]

hmm apparently I'm doing something wrong because I don't get the correct answer.

In order to get the tension in the lower string i have to find out the horizontal component of the top string correct?

*Edit*
I'm posting this in the homework help section. Sorry for not noticing this.