Question

You and your little cousin sit on a see-saw. You sit 0.5 m from the fulcrum, and your cousin sits 1.5 m from the fulcrum. You weigh 600 N. How much does she weigh?

Answer 1

200N

Step-by-step explanation:

Distance from fulcrum by you = 0.5m

Distance from fulcrum by cousin = 1.5m

Your weight = 600N

Unknown:

Weight of my cousin = ?

Solution:

From the principle of moment, when an object is balanced, the sum of the clockwise moment is equal to the sum of the anti-clockwise moment.

So;

Your weight x distance from fulcrum by you = Weight of cousin x her distance from the fulcrum

600 x 0.5 = weight of cousin x 1.5m

Weight of cousin = 200N