Levers

Most children are familiar with teeter-totters or seesaws. They know that if big Sam sits on one end and
little Jane sits on the other, Jane goes up in the air and Sam sinks to the ground. So Sam slides toward
the center (called the balance point or fulcrum) until they are in balance. This example illustrates the
fact that in order to balance, unequal weights (or forces) must be different distances from the point of
balance. The teeter-totter, board, or rod is called the lever. The principle involved is that the weight
times its distance from the fulcrum on one side equals the weight times its distance from the fulcrum on
the other side. If you let WI and dl represent one weight and distance, and w2 and d2 represent the
others, you might diagram this relationship like this:

" f-ooIl .. t----d1-------i.~I ...... f-------- d2------.. 1

If a 100-pound (lb) weight 4 feet (ft) from the fulcrum balances a SO-pound weight 8 feet from the
fulcrum, then:

1'00 Ib 50lb ~ I.. 4 ft ---I .. ~I"'''f--------8 ft ------... 1

100 pounds x 4 feet = SO pounds x 8 feet

400 = 400

In lever problems it is always wise to draw a sketch to show facts. If you know three of the four facts in
the general equation WI dl = W2d2' you can set up your own equation and solve for the fourth.

EXAMPLE I Mary weighted 120 pounds and sat on one end of a teeter-totter 8 feet from the center. Jim
weighted 160 pounds and sat on the other side. How far from the fulcrum (balance point) must Jim sit to
balance Mary if the balance point is at the center of the board?

Solution

1. Read the problem and determine the unknown. The question asks how far from the fulcrum Jim sits,
so Let x = Jim's distance from fulcrum in feet 2. First fact. Mary weighs 120 pounds and sits on one end
of the teeter-totter.

120

100

3. Second fact. She sits 8 feet from the center.

120lb ..

1 ....... f------8 ft -------.~ I

4. Third fact. Jim weighed 160 pounds and sat on the other side. We have already found that we would
let x equal Jim's distance.
120 160 ..

IfooI .. t------8 ft -------.~+I .. ------ x

Equation:

wIdl = W2d2 160x = 120(8) = 960

x=6 Answer

EXAMPLE 2 Tim was digging up his yard to plant a garden. He hit a large rock and got a crowbar to raise
the rock to the surface. The crowbar was 6 feet long and the rock was later found to weigh 80 pounds.
Tim used another rock as the fulcrum and exerted a force equal to 16 pounds on the end of the crowbar
in order to raise the rock to a point of balance. How far was the fulcrum from the 80-pound rock?

101

Solution \i 8 o I~: ___ 6-_X6 tt ~~_-_~"_I"~x_1~

Notice that we again use the principle that the total minus one part equals the second part. Let x =
distance in feet of 80-pound rock from fulcrum

Equation:

EXAMPLE 3

w1dl = wzdz

16(6 - x) = 80x

96 - 16x = 80x

-96x = -96

x = 1 Answer

A weight of 60 pounds rests on the end of an 8-foot lever and is 3 feet from the fulcrum. What weight
must be placed on the other end of the lever to balance the 60-pound weight?

Solution If the lever is 8 feet long and one end is 3 feet from the fulcrum, the other end must be 5 feet
from the fulcrum (8 - 3 = 5). Let x = unknown weight in pounds

102

x 60

~ ~---5 ft-----t~.._j.I .. ---3 ft ----~ I

5x = 60(3) = 180

x = 36 Answer

EXAMPLE 4 Four girls decided to use the same teeter-totter. Two of them weighing 75 pounds and 50
pounds, respectively, sat on opposite ends of the 12-foot board which had the balance point at the
center. The third girl weighing 60 pounds got on the same side as the one weighing 50 pounds and sat 5
feet from the fulcrum. Where must the fourth girl sit so the teeter-totter is balanced if she weighs 40
pounds?

Solution Here we have something new. There is more than one weight on the same side. When this
happens, you must add the products on the same side or wIdl + wzdz = w3d3 + w4d4 Each weight is
multiplied by its distance from the fulcrum. Let's take it one piece at a time. The girls weighing 75 and 50
pounds sat on opposite ends of a 12-foot board.

50 75

I:

6ft ~I" 12 ft ---------.~---------6ft--------4~~1

103

The one weighing 60 pounds got on the same side as the one weighing 50 pounds and sat 5 feet from
the fulcrum. I 50 II ~ I 75

6 ft -------t .. ~1

50(6) + 60(5) = 75(6)

If this equation is true, they balance. But 300 plus 300 is not equal to 450, so the fourth girl must sit on
the right side. Her distance will be equal to x because that is the one fact we do not know. Let x =
distance of 40-pound girl from fulcrum in feet

50

II

60

I
40

II

75

~ ~5ft---l. x---1 6ft _I" 6ft ..

104

widl + wzdz = W3d3 + W4d4 50(6) + 60(5) = 40x + 75(6) 300 + 300 = 40x + 450 600 = 40x + 450

-40x = 450 - 600 = -150 x = 31. Answer 4

Supplementary Lever Problems

I. A 200-pound weight rests on one end of a lever, 12 feet from the fulcrum. What weight, resting on the
opposite end and 3 feet from the fulcrum, would make a balance? 2. The boys take a 12-foot-long board
and rest it on a large rock to make a teeter-totter. If the boys sit on opposite ends of the board and
weigh 50 pounds and 70 pounds, respectively, how far from the fulcrum will the 70-pound boy be if they
balance? 3. A window in Mr. Jones's house is stuck. He takes an 8-inch screw driver to pry open the
window. If the screwdriver rests on the sill (fulcrum) 3 inches from the window and Mr. Jones has to
exert a force of 10 pounds on the other end to pry open the window, how much force was the window
exerting? 4. A 35-pound weight is 2 feet from the fulcrum, and a 75-pound weight on the same side is 10
feet from the fulcrum. If a weight on the other end 6 feet from the fulcrum balances the first two, how
much does it weigh? 5. A lever 10 feet long has a 100-pound weight on one end and a ISO-pound weight
on the other. If the fulcrum is in the center, in what location must an 80-pound weight be placed so that
the lever will balance? 6. Shelly and Karie go out to play. Shelly, who weighs 90 pounds, sits on one end
of a 14-foot teeter-totter. Its balance point is at the center of the board. Karie, who weighs 120 pounds,
climbs on the other end and slides toward the center until they balance. What is Karie's distance from
her end of the teeter-totter when they balance