A person weighs 83.2 kg. What is this person’s weight in pounds
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To convert a person’s weight from kilograms (kg) to pounds (lb), we use the standard conversion factor:
1 kilogram = 2.20462 pounds
Given:
- Weight in kilograms = 83.2 kg
Step-by-step conversion:
83.2 kg×2.20462 lbkg=183.39 lb83.2 \, \text{kg} \times 2.20462 \, \frac{\text{lb}}{\text{kg}} = 183.39 \, \text{lb}83.2kg×2.20462kglb=183.39lb
Answer: The person weighs approximately 183.39 pounds.
Explanation
Weight can be measured using different units depending on the system of measurement being used. The metric system, widely used internationally and in scientific contexts, uses kilograms (kg) to measure mass. The imperial system, commonly used in the United States, uses pounds (lb). To convert between these systems, a conversion factor is required.
One kilogram is equivalent to approximately 2.20462 pounds. This factor is derived from the relationship between the metric and imperial systems, where 1 pound is defined as exactly 0.45359237 kilograms. The inverse of this value gives us the number of pounds in one kilogram.
To convert a weight from kilograms to pounds, multiply the number of kilograms by 2.20462. In this case, the person weighs 83.2 kg. Multiplying by the conversion factor gives us: 83.2×2.20462=183.39 lb83.2 \times 2.20462 = 183.39 \, \text{lb}83.2×2.20462=183.39lb
This means that a person who weighs 83.2 kg would weigh about 183.39 pounds in the imperial system. This kind of conversion is useful in everyday life when traveling or communicating across countries using different measurement systems, or when interpreting medical or fitness data provided in different units.
It’s also important to note that while “mass” and “weight” are technically different—mass being the amount of matter and weight being the force due to gravity—in everyday conversation, especially when discussing body measurements, the terms are often used interchangeably. In both metric and imperial systems, “weight” usually refers to mass for practical purposes.
Therefore, someone with a mass of 83.2 kg has a weight of approximately 183.39 lb.
