Physics question :S?

Question

Bob has a mass of 100kg has been lassoed by 5 different people, each of them whom has attached a rope to him. The first guy is pulling north with a force of 200N. The second guy is pulling south with a force at 150N. The third is pulling north at 300N. The fourth pulling east at 250N. And the last pulling west at 250N.
What is the acceleration of Bob?

I'm really struggling with this.

I have to get all the help I can.

Greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

First equate you figures-:

Total North = 200 + 300 = 500 N
Total South = 150 N
Total East = 250 N
Total West = 250N

Now opposites cancel out, therefore East and West are a straight cancellation as they are of the same magnitude (both are 250 N in opposite directions, thus net force = 0)

For North and South-:
500 - 150 = 350 N (in the North Direction)

Now F = m a

350 = 100 x a

a = 350 / 100 = 3.5 ms^-2 in the North direction.