In my experience it is better to put it in the simplest form for ease of future solutions or graph plotting.
For example say you are asked to plot the long trig expression mfb posted within a certain range and you don't have a plotter. So you are to use excel or some similar spreadsheet...
For part a) how did you go about calculating the dryness fraction at after the the superheated steam to the 4.5 bars ?Also, you should try to start off with the schematic and the T-s diagram as it will help a lot.
Firstly when presented with problems like these, I'd first try to draw everything on a T-S (temperature entropy diagram) or at least draw two separate diagrams for the two cycles. As it is now, you may be confused with the amount of information given based on that picture!
I believe you can however, just make sure that you re-write it as dy/dx = +/- y/xAlso note the distinction that d^2y/dx^2 = d/dx(dy/dx) i.e. differentiating dy/dx wrt x and (dy/dx)*(dy/dx) = (dy/dx)^2.
I agree with cpsinkule, if you state it as Hooke's Law, I don't think anyone will question you as to where you got it from. As if that is the case and you need to reference every single thing, then you might as well start looking for references for things like area = πr2 or even more absurd 1 +...
You can use any point as your point of reference.
For the parallel axis theorem: I = MOI about centroid + Area*distance to reference.
So for the 30 mm x 150 mm section, then centroid of the entire shape is at 60 mm from the bottom flange.
About its own centroid Ic = 1/12 (150)(30)3 and its...