Aptitude Test Tuesday – Gears

Every Tuesday I post a common question you might encounter during your aptitude test. This week we will be covering a gear example.

For more questions, have a look at the Firefighter Practice Tests – Premium Pack. They offer over 99 practice tests and over 1500 questions.​

The Problem:

If the configuration in this figure is released from rest, the drum will:

  • Rotate Counter Clockwise
  • Stay at rest 
  • Rotate Clockwise
  • Cannot Be Determined
Gears41 Aptitude Test Tuesday – Gears

The Solution:

The torque resultant for the two weights is:

12 x 150 clockwise = 1800

5 x 250 counter clockwise = 1250, so the gear will rotate clockwise as a result of larger torque.

  • Steve
  • Updated February 2, 2020