Meriam, Kraige & Bolton — Plane Kinetics of Rigid Bodies: Problem 6_178

6/178 In an acrobatic stunt, man $A$ of mass $m_A$ drops from a raised platform onto the end of the light but strong beam with a velocity $v_0$. The boy of mass $m_B$ is propelled upward with a velocity $v_B$. For a given ratio $n = m_B / m_A$ determine $b$ in terms of $L$ to maximize the upward velocity of the boy. Assume that both man and boy act as rigid bodies.