Someone is standing on a scale inside an elevator. When the elevator is accelerating upward, the scale reads 850 N; when the elevator is accelerating downward at the same acceleration, the scale reads 800 N. Find the acceleration of the elevator, a = ? Find the mass of the pe

Glencoe Physics: Principles and Problems, Student Edition
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ISBN:9780078807213
Author:Paul W. Zitzewitz
Publisher:Paul W. Zitzewitz
Chapter4: Forces In One Dimension
Section: Chapter Questions
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Someone is standing on a scale inside an elevator. When the elevator is accelerating upward, the scale
reads 850 N; when the elevator is accelerating downward at the same acceleration, the scale reads 800
N.
Find the acceleration of the elevator, a = ?
Find the mass of the person.
Find the weight of this person.

I know that Fn = mg + ma for upward and Fn = mg - ma for downward, but I am not sure how to find the middle ground that would be the acceleration?

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