Suppose the student in (Figure 1) is 68kg, and the board being stood on has a 12kg mass. What is the reading on the left scale? What is the reading on the right scale?

The equilibrium conditions allow to find the results for the balance forces are:
When the acceleration is zero we have the equilibrium conditions for both linear and rotational motion.
∑ F = 0
∑ τ = 0
Where F are the forces and τ the torques.
The torque is the product of the force and the perpendicular distance to the point of support,
The free-body diagrams are diagrams of the forces without the details of the bodies, see attached for the free-body diagram of the system.
We write the translational equilibrium condition.
F₁ - W₁ - W₂ + F₂ = 0
We write the equation for the rotational motion, set our point of origin at scale 1, and the counterclockwise turns are positive.
F₂ 2 - W₁ 1 - W₂ 1.5 = 0[tex]\frac{W_1 \ 1 + W_2 \ 1.5}{2}[/tex]
Let's calculate F₂
F₂ = [tex]\frac{W_1 \ 1 + W_2 \ 1.5 }{2}[/tex]
F₂ = (m g + M g 1.5)/ 2
F₂ = [tex]\frac{(12 + 68 \ 1.5 ) \ 9.8}{2}[/tex]
F₂ = 558.6 N
We substitute in the translational equilibrium equation.
F₁ = W₁ + W₂ - F₂
F₁ = (m + M) g - F₂
F₁ = (12 +68) 9.8 - 558.6
F₁ = 225.4 N
In conclusion using the equilibrium conditions we can find the forces of the balance are:
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