Question

Bert weighs 140 pounds and hopes to gain 2 pounds per week. Ernie weighs 170 pounds and needs to lose 1 pound per week to be in a lighter weight class. If the plan works, how many weeks will it take until the boys weigh the same?

a. 15 weeks
b. 20 weeks
c. 45 weeks
d. 30 weeks

Answer 1

It will take 10 weeks for Bert and Ernie to weigh the same.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the number of weeks it will take for Bert and Ernie to weigh the same, we need to set up an equation using their weekly weight changes. Bert wants to gain 2 pounds per week, so his weekly weight can be represented as 140 + 2w, where w is the number of weeks. Ernie wants to lose 1 pound per week, so his weekly weight can be represented as 170 - w. We can set these two expressions equal to each other and solve for w:

140 + 2w = 170 - w

3w = 30

w = 10

So it will take 10 weeks for Bert and Ernie to weigh the same.