Solving the Problem: Calculating the Tension in a Sagging Wire

[Freeze]

Ok this is the problem

The distance between two telephone poles is 50.5 m. When a 1.40 kg bird lands on the telephone wire midway between the poles, the wire sags 0.203 m. How much tension does the bird produce in the wire?

This is what I did

I divided 50.5/2 = 25.25m (to get length of one leg)
The other leg is = .203 m

So, Length of Hypotenuse = 25.2508

Weight of the bird = (9.81 * 1.40) = 13.734 N


Now to solve the problem I did the following


(Weight of the bird/ the distance of the wire sagged) * the hypotenuse

To get the tension


so, the tension is = 1708.35 N

But this is not the right answer, so can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?

 

[Pyrrhus]

check this problem

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=43633

 

[Freeze]

Yep got it.. I don't know why I was ignoring the angles.

Thx.