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brb
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Homework Statement
A large weight hangs over the side of a building from a cable. The cable goes over a pulley to a horizontal roof and is attached to a small weight of half the mass. The coefficient of sliding friction between roof and the small weight is 0.5. What is the approximate acceleration of the mass?
Answer: 5
Not sure how they got this answer.
Homework Equations
T - (1/2M)g(friction coefficient) = (1/2M)a
Mg - T = Ma
(g(M-(1/2M)(friction coefficient)))/(M + (1/2)M) = a
The Attempt at a Solution
T - (1/2M)g(friction coefficient) = (1/2M)a
Mg - T = Ma
Adding the equations to remove tension gives us the equation of (g(M-(1/2M)(friction coefficient)))/(M + (1/2)M) = a or (9.8(M-(1/2M)(.5)))/(M + (1/2)M)
Where I'm stuck is we still don't know M so how will we get acceleration? What is the other equation in the systems of equation to solve this?