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A balanced lever has two weights on it, the first with mass #16 kg # and the second with mass #3 kg#. If the first weight is # 7 m# from the fulcrum, how far is the second weight from the fulcrum?

Answer 1

Elena Albarran

#112/3m#

Well, if the lever is balanced, the torque (or, the moment of force) has to be the same. Hence,

#16*7m = 3*x#

#=> x = 112/3m#

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Answer 2

Axel Acevedo

To find the distance of the second weight from the fulcrum, use the formula for a balanced lever:

[ \text{Weight}_1 \times \text{Distance}_1 = \text{Weight}_2 \times \text{Distance}_2 ]

[ 16 , \text{kg} \times 7 , \text{m} = 3 , \text{kg} \times \text{Distance}_2 ]

[ \text{Distance}_2 = \frac{16 , \text{kg} \times 7 , \text{m}}{3 , \text{kg}} ]

[ \text{Distance}_2 = 37.33 , \text{m} ]

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.