Question

A woman with mass m is standing on a platform and holding onto a light rope attached to a hook in the ceiling. A second rope, also attached to the hook, is being held by a man with larger mass M on a second platform. The ropes are the same length, and the ropes are initially horizontal. The two people start from rest and swing toward each other. They meet at the lowest point of their swings, and grab onto one another, swinging upward until the ropes make an angle of 32.4° with the vertical. Find the value of the ratio

m

M

.

Answer 1