COSMOS: Complete Online Solutions Manual Organization System
Chapter 4, Solution 92.
Free-Body Diagram:
Note that the rod is a three-force body. In the free-body diagram, D is
the intersection between the lines of action of the three forces.
Using triangle BCE:
a = BE = BC sin θ
and from triangle BCD
BC = BD sin θ
Then a = BD sin 2 θ
Also from triangle ABD
BD = L sin θ , so
a = L sin 3 θ
1
a 3
or θ = sin
L
−1