Calculating Required Torque with Support Arm

[chambo101]

Homework Statement

Just looking for a general response - calculating required torque when there is a supoprt arm like in the attached doc. If there was no arm ... it's just F*d, but I guess the arm supports some of that force, so less torque is required?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[chaoseverlasting]

I didnt get your diagram, however, if there is an arm of total mass m hanging from a hinge with constant linear mass density of length x, and there is a support arm at a distance y from the hinge, then the total the torque about the hinge would be:

(x/2)*m-(y-x/2)*(m/x)*y.