Final answer:
Matt consumed a total of 4 standard drinks by having 3 cups of 16 oz beer, given that one standard drink is equivalent to 12 oz of regular beer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calculating Standard Drinks
Matt consumed beer from a 16 oz red plastic cup, and he had 3 cups of beer over a two-hour period. To find out how many standard drinks he consumed, we will first identify what qualifies as a standard drink in terms of beer. Generally, in the U.S., one standard drink contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol. This is roughly found in 12 ounces of regular beer, which is usually about 5% alcohol. Since Matt had 16-ounce cups, we need to adjust the calculation to account for the larger volume.
Here's how you can calculate it:
- First, determine the number of ounces Matt consumed: 3 cups × 16 ounces/cup = 48 ounces
- Next, convert Matt's total ounces to the equivalent number of standard drinks by dividing by 12 ounces (the size of a standard drink for beer): 48 ounces ÷ 12 ounces/standard drink = 4 standard drinks.
Therefore, Matt consumed 4 standard drinks at the party.a