A balanced lever has two weights on it, the first with mass 3 kg and the second with mass 4 kg. If the first weight is 5 m from the fulcrum, how far is the second weight from the fulcrum?

1 Answer
Mar 25, 2016

3 3/4 meters

Explanation:

Let x be the distance the second weight is from the fulcrum.

Since the lever is balanced
color(white)("XXX")3kg xx 5 m = 4 kg xx x

rarrcolor(white)("XXX")x=(3 cancel(kg)xx5m)/(4cancel(kg))=3 3/4 m