Question 39

Addition is the operation used to check if the total weight of three people exceeds 200 pounds.

To determine if the combined weight of three individuals surpasses 200 pounds, addition must be used to sum their weights.

A) Subtraction

Subtraction is not suitable for this scenario, as it is used to find the difference between two quantities rather than to combine them. Checking if the total weight exceeds a specific value requires aggregation rather than reduction.

B) Addition

Addition is the correct operation to use when calculating the total weight of three people. By adding their individual weights together, one can easily see if the sum is greater than 200 pounds.

C) Multiplication

Multiplication is inappropriate in this context, as it would imply scaling the weights rather than combining them. The question specifically involves assessing a total weight, which necessitates addition.

D) Division

Division serves to distribute a total amount into smaller parts or to find averages, which does not apply when simply checking if a total weight exceeds a specific limit. Thus, it does not contribute to the goal of this question.

Conclusion

The use of addition is essential for accurately determining whether the collective weight of the three individuals is over 200 pounds, while all other operations fail to address the requirement of combining their weights. Therefore, option B is definitively the correct choice for this task.