A static hanging-weight demonstration apparatus

In an effort to get away from standard fixed string-and-weight statics problems, one of us (MAF) posed the following problem to our freshman physics class: As shown in Fig. 1, a string of negligible mass and length L has its ends fixed at points A and B, with point B displaced horizontally from A by a distance w < L, and vertically by a distance h <√ L² - w². A mass m, hung from a small frictionless pulley, is allowed to move freely along the string until it comes to equilibrium, the pulley located a horizontal distance x to the right of A and vertical distance y below point A.