In Example 5, if the segments of 6.50 ft and 7.75 ft are interchanged,

(a) What is the answer,

(b) Is the beam along which x is measured more nearly vertical or more nearly horizontal?

Data from Example 5

In Fig. 2.9, part of the beam structure within a building is shown. The vertical beams are parallel. From the distances between beams that are shown, determine the distance x between the middle and right vertical beams. Using Eq. (2.1), we have

6.50 5.65 X = X 7.75 6.50(7.75) 5.65 8.92 ft