A farmer wishes to remove a stump from a field by pulling it out with his tractor. Having removed many stumps before, he estimates that he will need 6 tons (12,000 pounds) of force to remove the stump. However, his tractor is only capable of pulling with a force of 7000 pounds, so he asks his neighbor to help. His neighbor’s tractor can pull with a force of 5500 pounds. They attach the two tractors to the stump with a 40° angle between the forces, as shown in the figure.
(a) Assuming the farmer’s estimate of a needed 6-ton force is correct, will the farmer be successful in removing the stump?
(b) Had the farmer arranged the tractors with a 25° angle between the forces, would he have been successful in removing the stump?
