Equilibrium: a Stepladder Consists of Two Halves, Hinged at the Top

Multiple Choice

Equilibrium: A stepladder consists of two halves, hinged at the top, and connected by a tie rod that keeps the two halves from spreading apart. In this particular instance, the two halves are 2.50 m long, the tie rod is connected to the center of each half and is 70.0 cm long. An 800-N person stands 3/5 of the way up the stepladder, as shown in the figure. Neglecting the weight of the ladder, and assuming that the ladder is resting on a smooth floor, what is the tension in the tie rod? Note: To solve this problem you must "cut" the ladder in half and consider the equilibrium of forces and torques acting on each half of the ladder.

A) 140 N
B) 240 N
C) 280 N
D) 360 N
E) 560 N