Calculate the Net Force Exerted on a Stubborn Donkey

Explanation: To find the magnitude of the net force exerted on the donkey, we need to consider the individual forces applied by each person. Jack pulls directly ahead with a force of 77.3 N, Jill pulls at a 45° angle to the left with a force of 61.7 N, and Jane pulls at a 45° angle to the right with a force of 147 N.

Using vector addition, we can find the net force. First, we break down each force into horizontal and vertical components. For Jack, the horizontal component is 77.3 N and the vertical component is 0 N. For Jill, the horizontal component is 61.7 N * cos(45°) and the vertical component is 61.7 N * sin(45°). For Jane, the horizontal component is 147 N * cos(45°) and the vertical component is -147 N * sin(45°) (negative because it is in the opposite direction).

To find the total horizontal and vertical components, we add up the individual components. The total horizontal component is 77.3 N + 61.7 N * cos(45°) + 147 N * cos(45°), and the total vertical component is 0 N + 61.7 N * sin(45°) - 147 N * sin(45°). Finally, we can use the Pythagorean theorem to find the magnitude of the net force by taking the square root of the sum of the squares of the horizontal and vertical components.

Magnitude of the net force: 212.1 N