Professor Povey's Perplexing Problems (1)

"Professor Povey's Perplexing Problems", written by Thomas Povey, is a great book with many intriguing and challenging maths and physics problems. Here, I upload my solution to some of the problems in the book.

This problem is from chapter 3: statics. Statics deals with the necessary conditions for a system to be in equilibrium, which in most cases directly corresponds to a condition whereby the net force and the net torque (or moment) about the center of mass of an object is equal to zero; i.e. no net force and no torque acts upon an object's center of mass. This particular problem deals with a sewage worker who is standing on the end of a ladder located below a circular underground aqueduct.

Bibliography (Only the question is from the book; the solution is done by myself and checked if it matches Povey's solution in the book)

• Povey, T. (2015). Professor Povey's perplexing problems: Pre-university physics and maths puzzles with solutions. London: Oneworld Publications.