Final answer:
Mary's cat weighs 2 pounds 14 ounces more than Jane's cat. We subtract Jane's cat's weight from Mary's cat's weight in pounds and ounces, and then we convert ounces to pounds where necessary.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks how much more Mary's cat weighs than Jane's cat. We're given the weights of both cats in pounds and ounces, and we need to find the difference between the two. First, we find the difference in pounds: Mary's cat is 9 pounds and Jane's cat is 6 pounds, so the difference is 9 pounds - 6 pounds = 3 pounds. Next, we compare the ounces: Mary's cat has 5 ounces and Jane's cat has 7 ounces. Since Mary's cat has fewer ounces, we subtract one pound from the difference in pounds and convert it to ounces (16 ounces). Now we add the remaining ounces to Mary's 5 ounces: 16 ounces + 5 ounces = 21 ounces. We then subtract Jane's 7 ounces from the total: 21 ounces - 7 ounces = 14 ounces. However, since there are only 16 ounces in a pound, we convert the 14 ounces into pounds and ounces. We get 1 pound and 2 ounces surplus, because 14 ounces - 16 ounces = -2 ounces, so we need to borrow an additional pound from the initial 3 pound difference. Hence, the final answer is 2 pounds and 14 ounces heavier, which matches option (a) 2 pounds, 14 ounces.