High School

The average mass of a baby born in England and Wales is 3.4 kg.
The average mass of an adult male in England and Wales is 84 kg.

Show that the ratio of these masses is approximately 25:1.

Answer :

To find the ratio of the average mass of a baby to the average mass of an adult male, you need to compare the two masses by dividing one by the other. This will show how many times the smaller mass (baby) fits into the larger mass (adult male).

Here are the steps to calculate the ratio:

  1. Identify the Masses:

    • Average mass of a baby = 3.4 kg
    • Average mass of an adult male = 84 kg
  2. Calculate the Ratio:

    • Divide the mass of an adult male by the mass of a baby:
      [tex]\text{Ratio} = \frac{\text{Mass of adult male}}{\text{Mass of baby}} = \frac{84}{3.4}[/tex]
  3. Perform the Division:

    • To simplify [tex]\frac{84}{3.4}[/tex], convert the division into multiplication by adjusting the decimal placement or using a calculator:
      [tex]\frac{84}{3.4} \approx 24.71[/tex]
  4. Round the Ratio:

    • The calculation [tex]\frac{84}{3.4} \approx 24.71[/tex] is rounded to the nearest whole number, which gives us approximately 25.

Therefore, the ratio of the average mass of an adult male to that of a baby is approximately 25:1.

This means an adult male's average mass is about 25 times larger than that of a baby.