Cables are installed in a ceiling in a straight line. The ceiling run is 60 m (200 ft) in length. What is the MINIMUM number of J-hooks required to support the cables?

20 J-hooks results in 10 ft spacing between supports, which more than doubles the 5 ft maximum allowed interval and would cause excessive cable sag and potential conductor damage.

30 J-hooks produces approximately 6.7 ft spacing, which still exceeds the maximum 1.5 m (5 ft) spacing standard and does not provide adequate cable support.

BICSI TDMM and TIA-569 specify that J-hooks supporting horizontal copper or fiber cables must be installed at intervals not exceeding 1.5 m (5 ft) to prevent cable sag, jacket deformation, and bend radius violations. Dividing the 200 ft run by the 5 ft maximum spacing yields exactly 40 J-hooks as the minimum compliant count. Installing fewer than 40 would result in spans longer than 5 ft, which fails the support spacing requirement.

50 J-hooks would place supports every 4 ft, which is valid for cable support but exceeds the minimum required count - the question asks for the minimum, which is 40.

60 J-hooks places supports every 3.3 ft, which is a permitted spacing but represents more than the minimum needed, adding unnecessary material and labor cost.