Solving Fuzzy Dice Question: Finding Car Acceleration

[sheepcountme]

Homework Statement

A 0.0820 kg pair of fuzzy dice is attached to the rearview mirror of a car by a short string. The car accelerates at a constant rate, and the fuzzy dice hang at an angle due to the car's acceleration. If the dice hang at 5.00° from the vertical as the car accelerates, what is the acceleration of the car?

Homework Equations

F=ma, trig functions.

The Attempt at a Solution

So I have the freebody diagram with mg pointing down, Fn pointing up, and Fa pointing downward at a 5 degree angle from the y axis. I know how to find mg of course, but now I'm just lost. Please help me at least wave my hands at this thing...

 

[tiny-tim]

Welcome to PF!

Hi sheepcountme! Welcome to PF!

Hint: the acceleration of the dice is the same as that of the car.

So use good ol' Newton's second law (vector form), F_total = ma.

 

[sheepcountme]

Thank you!

I figured it out! What a relief! I was making it much more complicated than it needed to be!