[Mechanics] Tension in bungee jumping

[sushichan]

Homework Statement

A bungee jumper of mass 60kg jumps from a bridge 24 m above the surface of the water. The rope is 12 m long and is assumed to obey Hooke's law. What should the spring constant of the rope be if the woman is to just reach the water?

Homework Equations

Ep=mgh
E=1/2 kx^2

The Attempt at a Solution

Energy conservation? I'm definitely doing something wrong here and not understanding something but I don't know what.

mgh = ½kx^2
(60)(10)(12) = ½k(12)^2
[I put the length of the unstretched part of the rope as my h value and x as the extension, which is 24-12=12]

k= 100 Nm^-1
[This is the answer I got]

But the answer is k=200 Nm^-2

 

[Doc Al]

I put the length of the unstretched part of the rope as my h

To calculate the initial gravitational PE, use the height above the water.

 

[sushichan]

To calculate the initial gravitational PE, use the height above the water.

okay thanks!

 

[atom jana]

This is the key statement : The woman jumps from a bridge 24 m above the surface of water.