Question

a concrete slab 20 m long and weighing 400,000 N is supported by one pillar. If a 19,600 N car is parked 8 meters from one end. where should the pillar be so that the slab is balanced?

Answer 1

let the distance of pillar is "r" from one end of the slab

So here net torque must be balance with respect to pillar to be in balanced state

So here we will have

$Mg(r - L/2) = mg(L/2 - 8)$

here we know that

mg = 19600 N

Mg = 400,000 N

L = 20 m

from above equation we have

$400,000(r - 10) = 19,600 (10 - 8)$

$r - 10 = 0.098$

$r = 10.098 m$

so pillar is at distance 10.098 m from one end of the slab