Lucas weighs 78kg. Convert his weight to pounds. Round to the nearest pound.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To convert Lucas’s weight from kilograms to pounds, we can use the conversion factor:
1 kilogram (kg) = 2.20462 pounds (lbs).
Step 1: Convert kilograms to pounds
Lucas weighs 78 kg. To convert this to pounds, we multiply by the conversion factor:
[
78 \, \text{kg} \times 2.20462 \, \text{lbs/kg} = 171.96156 \, \text{lbs}
]
Step 2: Round to the nearest pound
The result is approximately 171.96 pounds. When rounding to the nearest whole number, we round this value to 172 pounds.
Explanation of the Conversion Process:
The metric system, commonly used in most countries, uses kilograms (kg) as a unit of mass, while the imperial system, used primarily in the United States, uses pounds (lbs) to measure weight. To convert from one system to the other, a standard conversion factor is used. The most common conversion factor for weight between kilograms and pounds is 2.20462.
By multiplying the number of kilograms (78 kg) by the conversion factor (2.20462), you obtain the equivalent weight in pounds. This process ensures the accurate conversion of the mass from one unit of measurement to another.
The result can sometimes be a decimal number, so rounding is required depending on the context. In this case, we rounded the result to the nearest whole pound since weight measurements are typically rounded this way in everyday situations.
Why the Conversion Matters:
Understanding how to convert between kilograms and pounds is essential for international travel, health care, and various other fields where weight measurements need to be communicated across different measurement systems. For example, in medicine, health assessments, and fitness tracking, knowing both kilograms and pounds is helpful for accuracy and clear communication between professionals and patients worldwide.
Thus, Lucas’s weight of 78 kg converts to approximately 172 pounds when rounded to the nearest pound.