How do simple machines make work easier?

Simple machines make work easier by modifying the magnitude of a force and the direction of motion to perform physical tasks. They achieve this through a principle known as mechanical advantage, which allows a smaller input force to overcome a larger output force or weight.123

While these devices amplify force, they do so by operating on an inverse relationship between force and motion: a gain in force is accompanied by a corresponding loss in distance or speed. In the science of mechanics, work is defined as the product of force and the distance moved ($W=F\times S$). By using a simple machine, such as an inclined plane, lever, wedge, wheel and axle, pulley, or screw, an individual can exert a smaller force over a longer distance to accomplish the same amount of work that would otherwise require a much greater force.41

Ultimately, these tools augment human effort, enabling the completion of tasks that would be difficult or impossible to perform by hand alone.2