Solutions to Practice

Problems, Module 3:
Engineering Mechanics
By Shaun Patrick P. Albao, BSChE – 2A
 Solutions to Practice Problems: Engineering
Mechanics
• In this presentation, I am going to present 2 solutions from the selected
practice problems in order to determine the location of the center of
gravity and centroid of a system of discrete particles and a body of
arbitrary shape, apply the theorem of Pappus, and determine the moment
of inertia of a system.
 Moment of a
composite body
about its horizontal
centroidal axis
Determine the Ī𝑥 of the region
shown.
  Required to Find:
Strategy: Knowing that the required moment of the composite body is about its horizontal centroidal axis, we
need to find first the y-coordinate of its centroid. To make the calculations simpler, let’s divide the figure into
two parts: a square (1) with side length of 105 mm and a isosceles right triangle (2) with side length of 75 mm.

7 5 𝑚𝑚
y  ̅ = =2 5 𝑚𝑚
3

y  ̅ 𝑡𝑟 =(105 −25)𝑚𝑚=80 𝑚𝑚
  105 𝑚𝑚
y ̅ 𝑠𝑞 =y ̅ = =52 .5 𝑚𝑚
2

2 2 1 2 1 2 
2
2
 𝐴 𝑠𝑞 =𝑠 = ( 105𝑚𝑚 ) =11025 𝑚 𝑚 𝐴𝑡𝑟 = 𝑠 = ( 7 5 𝑚𝑚 ) =2812 .5 𝑚 𝑚
2 2
 
Hence, the y-coordinate of the centroid can be calculated through the Note: The area of the triangle is
formula, negative because it is to be
subtracted from the area of the
square.
 Note: The moment
  of the triangle is
negative because it
  is to be subtracted
from the moment
y  ̅ 𝑡𝑟 =80 𝑚𝑚 of the square.
y  ̅ 𝑠𝑞=52 .5 𝑚𝑚
y  ̅ =43 .08219 𝑚𝑚
2
 𝐴 𝑠𝑞 =11025 𝑚 𝑚 2  𝐴𝑡𝑟 =2812 .5 𝑚 𝑚
 For the square region (1)…

 For the isosceles right triangular region (2)…

 Using the method of composite areas…

General solution
for the centroid
of a trapezoid
Determine the x- and y-coordinates
of the centroid of the trapezoidal
area.
 +y
 
Required to Find:,   𝑏−𝑎
𝑦= 𝑥 +𝑎
 For this problem, we are going to solve it analytically and P1(0, a) h
geometrically. Let’s begin with the analytical solution P2(h, b)
(Integration Method). From analytic geometry we have the
point-point equation of the line which is .

 
Through assigning the points P1(0, a) and P2(h, b), we arrive at  𝑦
the line equation or .

 Using a vertical differential triangle, we have

+x
𝑑𝑥
 

 Through integrating from 0 as the lower limit to h as the upper limit, we have,
   𝑏−𝑎
+y 𝑦= 𝑥 +𝑎
P1(0, a) h
P2(h, b)

Co(xc,  𝑦
yc )

+x
 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
 

  h h h h h h
𝑏−𝑎 𝑏−𝑎 2 𝑏−𝑎 2 𝑏−𝑎 1 3 1 2 𝑏−𝑎 1 32 1 2 1 2 12
( )( )
0 h 0 h h0 0 h3 𝑜 2 𝑜 h3 2 6 [ ][ ] [ ][ ]
𝑄𝑦=∫ 𝑥𝑐 𝑑𝐴=∫ 𝑥 𝑥+𝑎 𝑑𝑥=∫ 𝑥 +𝑎𝑥 𝑑𝑥= ∫ 𝑥 𝑑𝑥+𝑎∫ 𝑥𝑑𝑥= 𝑥 +𝑎 𝑥 = h + 𝑎 h = h [2(𝑏 −𝑎)+3𝑎 ]= h (𝑎+2𝑏 )
6
 +y   𝑏−𝑎
P1(0, a) 𝑦= 𝑥 +𝑎
h
1  P2(h, b) 
𝑦
2
Co(xc,
yc)
 1 1 𝑏−𝑎  𝑦
2
𝑦=
2 h (
𝑥 +𝑎 ) +x
𝑑𝑥
 
 
h h 2 2h h h 2h h 2
1 𝑏 − 𝑎 𝑏 − 𝑎 1 𝑏 − 𝑎 2 𝑏 − 𝑎 2 1 𝑏 − 𝑎 2 1 𝑏 − 𝑎 1 1 𝑏 − 𝑎 1 𝑏 − 𝑎 1 1 1 ( 𝑏 − 𝑎) 1 𝑏 − 𝑎 1 1 1 1 1
( )( ) [( ) ( ) ] ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] 2 3 2 2h 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
𝑄𝑥=∫𝑦𝑐𝑑𝐴=∫ 𝑥+𝑎 𝑥+𝑎 𝑑𝑥= ∫ 𝑥 +2𝑎 𝑥+𝑎 𝑑𝑥= ∫𝑥 𝑑𝑥+ ∙2𝑎 ∫𝑥𝑑𝑥+ 𝑎 ∫𝑑𝑥= 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑎 [𝑥] = h + h + 𝑎 h= h[(𝑏−𝑎) +3(𝑏−𝑎)+3𝑎 ]= h[𝑏 −2𝑎𝑏+𝑎 +3𝑎𝑏−3𝑎 +3𝑎 ]= h(𝑎 +𝑎𝑏+𝑏 )
20 h h 2 0 h h 2 h 0 2 h 2 2 h 3 h 2 2 2 h 3 h 2 2 6 6 6
0 0 𝑜 𝑜
0 2
  
Geometrical Solution (Theorem of Pappus Method):
From plane geometry, the area of a trapezoid is

+y
  rotating the trapezoid about the y-axis, we produce a spatial
By
object which has a cone placed at the top of the cylinder…
𝑎  −𝑏

𝐶
  (𝑥 𝑐 , 𝑦 𝑐 )
 𝑏  𝑥 𝑐  𝑏

 
+x
 h
  Rotation about the x-axis produces a frustum… +y

 
𝐶
  (𝑥 𝑐 , 𝑦 𝑐 )
 𝑎
 𝑏

 𝑦 𝑐
+x
 h
That’s all. Have a good
day!