A 12-lb puppy is gaining weight at a rate of 2/3lb per week. How much more time will it take for the puppy's weight to exceed 37 2/3lb?

Question

A 12lb puppy is gaining weight at a rate of 2/3lb per week. How much more time will it take for the puppy;s weight to exceed 37 2/3 lb?

Answer 1

Sorry, Cheryl, for all the confusion but it's not fair to you to leave an incorrect answer stand.  But tutors and teachers mess up like anyone else. :-)

 

And the real truth is, none of us ever knows how you are required to solve a problem, for instance, whether you have to set it up as an algebra equation, etc.

 

So I'm going to offer the way I set it up as another variation., using an algebra expression.  In the end, you'll have to determine what fits what you're learning right now.

 

I set it up as:

 

12 + 2/3x > 37 2/3

 

The puppy already weighs 12 pounds.  It's going to gain weight at a rate of 2/3 pounds each week, and the x is how many weeks.  So if you took 2/3 * x that would be how much weight was gained over that period of time.  That added to the original 12 would be the total weight.  So that's the setup.

 

Since you have to subtract 12 from both sides to start, that kind of puts it where Arthur was going, and the rest would be solved in the same manner.

 

I included the > sign since the problem says "exceeds" 37 2/3 pounds.  This way the final result for x comes out correctly.

Answer 2

37 2/3 lbs - 12 lbs=25 2/3 lbs needed to gain to reach 37 2/3 lbs

the puppy gains 2/3 lb per week

(25 2/3)/(2/3)=(77/3)/(2/3)=(77/3)(3/2)=77/2=38 1/2 weeks to gain 25 2/3 lbs

after 38 1/2 weeks the puppy will weigh 37 2/3 lbs

anytime beyond 38 1/2 weeks the puppy will gain more weight and exceed 37 2/3 lbs

Answer 3

Gain is 2/3 lb per week.

 

n - number of weeks to gain 32 2/3

 

n * 2/3( lb/week)) = 37 2/3(lb )

 

  n = 37 2/3 (lb)   / ( 2/3) (lb/w) =

 

      =  113/3 *3/2 =56 1/2 weeks

Answer 4

Cheryl,

 

To begin this problem, I would suggest using a table like the one shown below:

 

 

                            Beginning         Week 1             Week 2            Week 3          Etc.

 

Weight of Puppy         12lbs.

 

If the puppy gains 2/3 pounds per week, how much would he weigh in week 1? Week 2? Week 3? Continue to calculate this until you reach the point where your answer is greater than 37 2/3lb. Then answer the question by giving the amount of time that has passed.

 

Let me know if you need more clarification!