How Do You Calculate Tension in a Wire at a 45 Degree Angle?

rAz:DD
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Homework Statement


f_1004m_a0abd84.jpg

A body of mass m = 10kg is suspended by a fixed support through a perfect wire. The body is resting on the vertical support to another disk, so that the thread
formed with a vertical angle α = 45 °, as shown. The tension from the wire has the value:
a. T = 41N
b. T = 100N
c. T = 141N
d. T = 241N

Homework Equations




The Attempt at a Solution

 
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Draw a diagram of the forces acting on the mass. Since there is no motion, the forces must be in equilibrium. That means the vector sum of the forces in the x direction mus be equal to zero and similarly for the vector sum the forces in the y direction. You'll have to write the tension T in component form to do this. After you get the unknown components of T, you'll have to find its magnitude to answer the question.

By the way, you're supposed to show us your attempt at a solution.
 
I've written Gx = G / cos a = T and got a strange result, but i realize now it was a math fail; the correct answer should be c) 141N right ?
 
rAz:DD said:
I've written Gx = G / cos a = T and got a strange result, but i realize now it was a math fail; the correct answer should be c) 141N right ?

Well, I get T = 139N. Summing the forces in the y direction, I get

T = \frac{Mg}{cos(45)} = \frac{98.1}{\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}} = 138.7

which I'd round off to 139N. I don't see a reason for the discrepancy right now.

Is the picture you gave the whole picture?
 
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There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
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