Simple Vector Problem - Cable Tensions

[IOwnAndPwnU]

Homework Statement

A 125 N traffic light is hanging from two flexible cables. The magnitude of the force that each cable applies to the 'eye ring' holding the lights is called the cable tension. Find the cable tensions if the light is in equilibrium.

I have attached a scan from the textbook which contains a diagram.

Homework Equations

Not sure exactly what equations are there, except pythagoras theorem for magnitude, SOH-CAH-TOA.

The Attempt at a Solution

I assigned the first tension cable (left one) as vector a, the second one (right one) as b and the traffic light as g.

a = (x₁cos150, y<sub>1[/SUB/sin150)
b = (x2cos45, y2[/SUB/sin45)
g = (0, -125)

And I think: a + b + g = 0

Answer is: T1 = 125([itex]\sqrt{3}[/itex]-1) N; T2 = 87.5(3[itex]\sqrt{2}[/itex]-[itex]\sqrt{6}[/itex]) N.

Thank you!</sub>

 

[Quinzio]

There's nothing attached to the message.

 

[IOwnAndPwnU]

That's weird, I remember the image showing up during the preview. I re-attached it though.

 

[Quinzio]

You have to first balance the horizontal forces (left-right) to make them zero, then you calculate the vertical ones.

 

[IOwnAndPwnU]

Umm...how do you do that?
This is actually from a math course.

 

[Quinzio]

Well, decompose the force of each cable into an horizontal and a vertical component.