# standing on a scale

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-on-a-scale/45884>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 16, 2000, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-on-a-scale/45884 "2000-12-16T08:40:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-on-a-scale/45884/1 "2000-12-16T08:40:59Z")

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or rather, two scales.

would half of my weight show up on each, or a function of theta (theta being the angle of my splayed legs)?

thanks a million,

jb

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**Author:** ![Omniman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bcef8e/32.png) [@Omniman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniman)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-on-a-scale/45884/2 "2000-12-16T08:45:37Z")

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You can make them divide to any number from 0- your weight on either side. Just try it and you’ll see.

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**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/standing-on-a-scale/45884/3 "2000-12-16T09:06:33Z")

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It’s not a function of angle, it’s a function of how far your center of mass is from each scale. If you stood directly over scale 1 and only touched scale 2 with your toe, scale 1 will read your full weight and scale 2 will read zero, right? And if you stood so that your center of mass is directly above the midpoint of the two scales, each scale will read 1/2 of your weight. In any case, the two numbers will always add up to your full weight, of course.