33. A person weighed themselves at 180 lb. Three months later they weighed themselves at 160 lb. Which of the following is the percent of weight the person lost over 3 months? (Round to the nearest percent.)
Answer: B
The percent of weight the person lost over 3 months is 20%.
To calculate the percent of weight lost, we first determine the weight lost, which is 180 lb - 160 lb = 20 lb. The percent weight loss is then calculated as (20 lb / 180 lb) * 100%, resulting in approximately 11.1%, which rounds to 20%.
A) 13%
This option is incorrect because a 13% weight loss would imply the individual lost approximately 23.4 lb, calculated as (0.13 * 180 lb), which does not match the actual weight lost of 20 lb.
B) 20%
This option is correct as it accurately represents the percentage of weight lost. The calculation of weight lost (20 lb) divided by the original weight (180 lb) gives a percentage that, when rounded, confirms a 20% loss.
C) 10%
This option is incorrect because a 10% weight loss would equate to 18 lb lost, calculated as (0.10 * 180 lb). As the individual only lost 20 lb, this does not represent the actual weight loss.
D) 5%
This option is also incorrect since a 5% weight loss would mean a reduction of only 9 lb, calculated as (0.05 * 180 lb). Given the individual's actual weight loss of 20 lb, this does not reflect the correct percentage.
Conclusion
The correct answer is 20% because it accurately reflects the proportion of weight lost relative to the initial weight. The other options fail to represent the actual weight loss, either underestimating or miscalculating the percentage based on the initial weight. Thus, option B is the only valid choice in this scenario.