Question

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?

Answer 1

`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`