- #36
jbriggs444
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
- 12,470
- 7,224
You can include "L" or you can include "4". Using both is nonsense. As I had suggested in #34, the correct equation is:Regla said:Like this? or does the 4 have to be an x?
$$F_{side} = \rho g L \frac{h^2}{2}$$
You had previously come up with a formula for the force on the base:
Regla said:I've got the formula for the base of the tank bF=(ro)gxL2
When you wrote that you were apparently using the variable "x" to denote depth. Let us use "h" for depth and reformat that result:
$$F_{base} = \rho g L^2 h$$
Now then. We have formulas for the force on the side and for the force on the base. The problem statement tells us the ratio of those two forces. Can you write down an equation expressing that fact?