Serway & Jewett — Vectors: Problem 15

The helicopter view in Fig. P3.15 shows two people pulling on a stubborn mule. The person on the right pulls with a force \(\vec{F}_1\) of magnitude \(120 \text{ N}\) and direction of \(\theta_1 = 60.0^\circ\). The person on the left pulls with a force \(\vec{F}_2\) of magnitude \(80.0 \text{ N}\) and direction of \(\theta_2 = 75.0^\circ\). Find (a) the single force that is equivalent to the two forces shown and (b) the force that a third person would have to exert on the mule to make the resultant force equal to zero. The forces are measured in units of newtons (symbolized N).