Question

Solve Proportions In the following exercises, solve.

403. A golden retriever weighing 85 pounds has diarrhea. His medicine is prescribed as 1 teaspoon per 5 pounds. How much medicine should he be given?

Answer 1

Thus, a golden retriever should be given 19 teaspoon of medicine.

Explanation:

• Given that a golden retriever weighing 85 pounds has diarrhea. His medicine is prescribed as 1 teaspoon per 5 pounds.
• To find how much medicine should he be given.
• Assign a variable. Write a sentence that gives the information to find it.
• Translate into a proportion be careful of the units.
• Multiply both sides by the Least Common Denominator and simplify. Check the answer.

Step 1 of 3

Write the data in mathematical form and simplify.

Let x=the number of teaspoon

If 1 teaspoon medicine is 5 pounds then 85 pounds is how many teaspoon of medicine.

Translate the statement into proportion.

`\begin{aligned}\frac{\text { pounds }}{\text { teaspoon }} &=\frac{\text { pounds }}{\text { teaspoon }} \\(5)/(1) &=(85)/(x)\end{aligned}`

Step 2 of 3

Multiply both sides by x and simplify

`$x(5)=\frac{85}{\bcancel{x}}(\bcancel{x})`

5x=85

Divide by 5,

`x=(85)/(5)`

Simplify, x=19

Step 3 of 3

Check the answer.

Substitute x=19 in original proportion and simplify.

`$$\begin{aligned}(5)/(1) &=(85)/(x) \\5 &=(85)/(19)\end{aligned}$\\ \\ Hence, $5=5$, True`