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The mighty mathematics of the lever - Andy Peterson and Zack Patterson

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TEDEd Animation

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Archimedes once said “Give me a place to stand, and I shall move the Earth.” While the idea of a person moving such a huge mass on their own might sound impossible, chances are you’ve seen this idea in action at your local playground. Andy Peterson and Zack Patterson use the seesaw to illustrate the amazing implications and uses of the lever.

Billy weighs twice as much as Jasmine. Where should they place the fulcrum if they want to balance out the teeter-totter? Write an equation that models the situation from the previous question. Explain how your equation models it correctly.

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Andy Peterson, Zack Patterson
  • Director Nadav Arbel
  • Artist Moran Barak
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

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