Question

MOMENTS IN EQUILIBRIUM: In this problem, the baby dragon and the unicorn are trying to play on the see-saw. They are trying to get the see-saw perfectly balanced. The baby dragon weighs 317 lbs, and the unicorn weighs 1044 lbs. If the unicorn is only 3 ft from the fulcrum, how far will the baby dragon need to be away from the fulcrum to achieve balance?

a) 13 ft
b) 1 ft
c) 4 ft
d) 12 ft

Answer 1

To achieve balance on a see-saw, the moments on either side of the fulcrum must be equal. By setting up and solving an equation, we can determine the distance the baby dragon needs to be away from the fulcrum.

Step-by-step explanation:

In order to achieve balance on a see-saw, the moments on either side of the fulcrum must be equal. The moment is calculated by multiplying the weight of an object by its distance from the fulcrum. In this problem, the baby dragon weighs 317 lbs and the unicorn weighs 1044 lbs. Let x be the distance the baby dragon needs to be away from the fulcrum. The moment of the baby dragon is 317x, and the moment of the unicorn is 1044(3). Since the see-saw is balanced, the moments are equal:

317x = 1044(3)

Solving for x:

x = 12 ft

Therefore, the distance the baby dragon needs to be away from the fulcrum to achieve balance is 12 ft.