Maria stood on two scales at the same time. The scale on the right read 43 pounds, and the scale on the left read 60 pounds. If she balances her weight equally on both scales, how much will each scale read?
I would imagine it would read the average of the two weights: (60+43)/2 = 103/2=51.5 pounds.
To find out how much each scale will read when Maria balances her weight equally on both scales, we can use a simple equation.
Let's assume the weight that Maria exerts on both scales is "x" pounds.
According to the problem, the scale on the right reads 43 pounds, so in equilibrium, it will read "x" pounds.
Similarly, the scale on the left reads 60 pounds, so in equilibrium, it will also read "x" pounds.
So, we can write the equation:
43 + x = 60 - x
Let's solve this equation step by step:
Combining like terms:
2x = 60 - 43
Simplifying:
2x = 17
Dividing both sides by 2:
x = 8.5
Therefore, each scale will read 8.5 pounds when Maria balances her weight equally on both scales.