In which situation of Burl and Paul on a scaffold does the tension in the right rope rank highest?

The situation in which the tension in the right rope is highest occurs when both Burl and Paul are on equal sides of the scaffold. In this configuration, the weight of both individuals is evenly distributed across the two ropes, leading to a stabilized system.

When both individuals are standing evenly apart, the forces acting on the scaffold are balanced. Each rope experiences a force that corresponds to the weight of each person due to gravity. Thus, the total tension in the right rope must equal the weight of Burl plus half the weight of Paul if they are evenly spaced.

In contrast, when Paul starts moving toward Burl, the tension in the right rope would not increase uniformly; instead, there could be moments of lower tension as the dynamics of their movements change. As Paul gets closer to Burl, the distribution of weight becomes less symmetrical, potentially increasing the load on the right side more than necessary, but it may not surpass the scenario of balanced weight distribution when they are both on equal sides.

So, under equal conditions, the right rope remains maximally utilized, leading to the conclusion that the tension is highest when both individuals are centered on either side.