Weight held by a beam and cable

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the tension in a cable and the force exerted by a beam when supporting a weight of 336 pounds at an angle of 49 degrees. The initial calculations incorrectly multiplied the weight by the acceleration due to gravity, leading to confusion. The correct tension in the cable is determined to be approximately 4363.00 lbf, while the force of the beam is calculated as 2862.4 lbf using the tangent of the angle. The clarification emphasizes that weight is already expressed in force units, negating the need for further multiplication by gravitational acceleration.

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I've got a problem where a weight is being held to the side of a building using a beam and a cable. The weight is 336 pounds and the angle between the cable and the beam is 49 degrees. I need to calculate the tension of the cable and the force of the beam. I calculated the force of gravity as being 336*9.8 = 3292.8 lbf. If the tension in the cable is T, then sin 49 degrees = 3292.8 / T. I solved for T to be 4363.0027845 lbf. I calculated the force of the beam to be 3292.8/tan 49 degrees = 2862.4 lbf, but that's not the correct answer. I don't know what I've done wrong?
 

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The objects weight is already given in force units, not mass units. Why are you multiplying it by g? The weight of any object is always in force units in USA or SI systems of measure.
 
You're right. Thank you!
 

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