Mechanical Advantage Calculator

Find the mechanical advantage of a machine.

Mechanical advantage 5

Formula: MA = load ÷ effort

Step-by-step with your numbers:
1. Values used:
2. Load (output force) = 500 N
3. Effort (input force) = 100 N
4.
5. Mechanical advantage = Load (output force) / Effort (input force) = 500 / 100 = 5
Did we solve your problem today?

Mechanical advantage is how much a machine multiplies your force.

The math behind it

MA = load force ÷ effort force. MA > 1 means the machine multiplies force.

Worked example

500 N load ÷ 100 N effort → MA 5.

FAQ

Trade-off?

More force usually means moving the effort over a longer distance.