Problem 4.1 In Active Example 4.

1, the 40-kN force 40 kN

points 30° above the horizontal. Suppose that the force
points 30° below the horizontal instead. Draw a sketch
of the beam with the new orientation of the force. What A
30°
is the moment of the force about point A?
6m

Solution: The perpendicular distance from A to the line of action

of the force is unchanged

D D
6 m sin 30° D 3 m

The magnitude of the moment is therefore unchanged

M D
3 m
40 kN D 120 kN-m

However, with its new orientation, the force would tend to cause the
beam to rotate about A in the clockwise direction. The moment is
clockwise

M D 120 kN-m clockwise

Problem 4.2 The mass m1 D 20 kg. The magnitude of 0.35 m 0.35 m 0.35 m
the total moment about B due to the forces exerted on A
bar AB by the weights of the two suspended masses is
170 N-m. What is the magnitude of the total moment B
due to the forces about point A?

m1 m2
Solution: The total moment about B is
MB D m2
9.81 m/s2 
0.35 m C
20 kg
9.81 m/s2 
0.7 m

D 170 N-m

Solving, we find m2 D 9.51 kg

The moment about A is then

jMA j D
20 kg
9.81 m/s2 
0.35 m C
9.51 kg
9.81 m/s2 
0.7 m

jMA j D 134 N-m

c 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they
currently exist. No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.
159
 Problem 4.3 The wheels of the overhead crane exert 10 ft 25 ft 15 ft
downward forces on the horizontal I-beam at B and C.
If the force at B is 40 kip and the force at C is 44 kip,
determine the sum of the moments of the forces on the
beam about (a) point A, (b) point D. B C
A D

Solution: Use 2-dimensional moment strategy: determine normal

distance to line of action D; calculate magnitude DF; determine sign.
10 ft 25 ft 15 ft
Add moments.

(a) The normal distances from A to the lines of action are DAB D
A D
10 ft, and DAC D 35 ft. The moments are clockwise (negative).
Hence,
B C


MA D 10
40  35
44 D 1940 ft-kip .

(b) The normal distances from D to the lines of action are DDB D
40 ft, and DDC D 15 ft. The actions are positive; hence

MD D C
40
40 C
15
44 D 2260 ft-kip

Problem 4.4 What force F applied to the pliers is

required to exert a 4 N-m moment about the center of
the bolt at P?

Solution:
4 N-m
MP D 4 N-m D F
0.165 m sin 42°  ) F D
0.165 m sin 42°
D 36.2 N

165 F
mm

42⬚

c 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they
currently exist. No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.
160