8, 4

That part of the support is weaker and resists the weight less, which is situated farther from its fastening.

1, 4

And that weight will show itself to be the heavier which is sustained by the weaker resistance.

504, 16, 16/8, 488

there would be many who would believe that

That rope which is fixed perpendicular to the support of weights becomes weaker the nearer it is to its upper support. This proposition, though it may seem strange, is nonetheless proved by testing: for where the rope has more weight, there is more strain; and where there is more strain, being of equal strength, there it breaks. Now one could imagine a rope of such length that its own weight would break it. And it is a clear thing that its greatest weight is at its attachment above, because there ends the weight of the whole. Again, having a weight attached, as I said, at the upper boundary the weight of the rope and of the weight fastened to it is loaded.

n f m, S, a

Here it is asked about the quality and quantity of the motions made by one same arrow through the different lines, as at n, at f, at m. And likewise it is asked, opening the bow at the middle m S as much as at a f, what difference there would be in the motions of such an arrow.

The angle of the string here is not equal — that is, the arrow is not driven by equal angles of the string — and therefore the arrow will not be driven in a straight line.