A spring stretches 0.294-m when a 0.360-kg mass is gently suspended from it as in Fig. 11–3b. The spring is then set up horizontally with the 0.431-kg mass resting on a frictionless table as in Fig. 11–5. The mass is pulled so that the spring is stretched 0.250-m from the equilibrium point, and released from rest.

Determine:

(a) the spring stiffness constant k.