- #1
philipc
- 57
- 0
I'm a bit stuck on a tension problem, I have a weight supported by three cables.
I will have to admit, up to this point, I have been cheating on these tension problems. What I have been doing is writing various equations and using my TI-89 to solve the system of equations. This method has been working for me when having only two cables or the three cables being some what symmetric. This problem puts the three cables all on the X, Z plane (judging by the picture) but they have no symmetry beyond that. Using my method I have nine unknowns, so I created to what I believed to be 9 valid equations, but my TI-89 didn't really like that.
I once remember my professor talking about some sort of triangle, so my question, is there a better way to solve this sort of problem. I'm not asking for the problem to be solved, I just need a different approach.
Thanks guys and gals
Philip
I will have to admit, up to this point, I have been cheating on these tension problems. What I have been doing is writing various equations and using my TI-89 to solve the system of equations. This method has been working for me when having only two cables or the three cables being some what symmetric. This problem puts the three cables all on the X, Z plane (judging by the picture) but they have no symmetry beyond that. Using my method I have nine unknowns, so I created to what I believed to be 9 valid equations, but my TI-89 didn't really like that.
I once remember my professor talking about some sort of triangle, so my question, is there a better way to solve this sort of problem. I'm not asking for the problem to be solved, I just need a different approach.
Thanks guys and gals
Philip