Problem 52 - Calculate With Confidence

Question

A client weighed 186.4 pounds (lb) before getting sick. After a lengthy recovery period, the client weighed 167.6 lb. How much weight did the client lose? ___________________________

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The client lost 18.8 pounds.

Step 1: Identify Initial Weight

The starting point is identifying the initial weight of the client before getting sick. According to the exercise, this was 186.4 pounds.

Step 2: Identify Final Weight

Next, we need to identify the weight of the client after recovery. This is given as 167.6 pounds.

Step 3: Calculate Weight Loss

To determine the weight lost, subtract the final weight from the initial weight. This can be expressed as: \[ 186.4 \text{ lb} - 167.6 \text{ lb} \]

Step 4: Perform the Subtraction

Now perform the subtraction calculation from Step 3: \[ 186.4 - 167.6 = 18.8 \]

Step 5: Interpret the Result

The result from performing the subtraction tells us how much weight the client lost: 18.8 pounds.

Key Concepts

Weight Calculation

The concept of weight calculation begins with understanding how to record weights accurately, ensuring the measured values are correct. In this exercise, we are looking at the initial weight, which was 186.4 pounds, and the final weight, which was 167.6 pounds.

• Initial weight: The weight of the person before recovery began.
• Final weight: The weight of the person after the recovery period.

The difference between these two measures will allow us to determine how much weight the person lost during their recovery period. It is essential to have both of these measures correct and to use them accurately in the following calculations.

Subtraction

Subtraction is a fundamental operation in mathematics used to find the difference between two numbers. In this exercise, we used subtraction to determine how much weight the client lost.To solve this, we take the initial weight, 186.4 pounds, and subtract the final weight, 167.6 pounds. This subtraction is represented by the equation:\[186.4 \text{ lb} - 167.6 \text{ lb} \]After performing this calculation,\[186.4 - 167.6 = 18.8\]We find that the client lost 18.8 pounds. Subtraction is useful when you need to compare quantities and measure changes. In practical terms, it helps us observe the weight difference in this context.

Interpretation of Results

Once we have the result of the subtraction, it's crucial to interpret what this means in the context of the problem. In this case, the calculation allowed us to find out the client lost 18.8 pounds. Understanding the result is as important as performing the math correctly. A weight loss of 18.8 pounds is quite significant for a person recovering from illness. Doctors or health professionals might use this information to assess the health of the patient, understanding if the weight loss is healthy or if it indicates further concerns.

• It informs health progress: Allows health professionals and family members to make informed health decisions.
• Measurement of recovery: Indicates how the person's physical condition has changed through the recovery period.

By properly interpreting the result, you can move beyond numbers and stats, allowing them to inform real-world decisions and assessments.