Inclined Planes Calculator

Calculate effort, mechanical advantage, and angle for ramp systems

MA = l ÷ hE = L ÷ MA

What is an Inclined Plane?

A flat surface tilted at an angle. It reduces the force needed to raise an object by spreading the work over a longer distance.

Mechanical Advantage

MA = ramp length ÷ height. A longer, shallower ramp gives a higher MA — less effort but more distance to travel.

Angle & Steepness

A steeper ramp (larger angle) has lower MA — more effort needed. A shallow ramp has higher MA but is longer.

Formula

Inclined plane mechanics

MA = Length ÷ Height  |  E = L ÷ MA

A longer ramp with the same height gives greater mechanical advantage

lPlane Lengthm
hPlane Heightm
MAMech. Advantage—

Enter Values

The weight of the object being pushed or pulled up the ramp

N

The slant length of the ramp (hypotenuse of the triangle)

m

The vertical rise of the ramp (must be less than the length)

m

The height must be less than the length. A shallower ramp (smaller angle) gives a higher MA but requires pushing over a longer distance.

No result yet

Enter the load, ramp length, and ramp height on the left, then press Calculate to see your result.

Example Problems

Try these values to see how the calculator works

Gentle Ramp (11.5°)

Load500 N
Length10 m
Height2 m
Effort100 N
MA5

Moderate Ramp (30°)

Load500 N
Length10 m
Height5 m
Effort250 N
MA2

Steep Ramp (53°)

Load500 N
Length5 m
Height4 m
Effort400 N
MA1.25