Question

The arms of a beam balance are 20 cm and 21 cm, but the pans are of equal weight. By the method of double weighing the weights are found to be 1000 g and 20 g. Find the actual weight of the body

Answer 1

m  = mass of each pan

m₀ = actual mass of the body

(100 + m)20 = (m + m₀) 21

Dividing the two equations

`21/20 = ((100 + "m")20)/((20 + "m") 21)`

1.1 (20 + m) = (1000 + m)

22 + 1.1m = 1000 + m

0.1m = 978

m = 9780g