Question

Melissa put her cat, Herman, on a diet and kept track of his weight. At the end of 4 weeks, she recorded Herman's weight change as −4 1/2 ounces. She noticed that he had lost the same amount of weight each week. What is Herman's weight change each week of the diet?

Answer 1

The cats weight change each week is $-1\frac{1}{8}$ ounces

Solution:

Given that, Melissa put her cat, Herman, on a diet and kept track of his weight.  

At the end of 4 weeks, she recorded Herman's weight change as $-4\frac{1}{2}$ ounces.  

She noticed that he had lost the same amount of weight each week.  

We have to find what is Herman's weight change each week of the diet?

Now, let the weight lost per week be n ounces.

Then, in total he lost 4n ounces in 4 weeks

And we are given that, lost wait is $-4\frac{1}{2}$ ounces

$\begin{array}{l}{4 n=-(4 \frac{1}{2}) \text { ounces }} \\\\ {4 n=-(\frac{4 \times 2+1}{2})} \\\\ {4 n=-(\frac{9}{2})} \\\\ {n=-(\frac{9}{8})=-(\frac{8+1}{8})=-1 \frac{1}{8} \text { ounces }}\end{array}$

Here negative sign indicates cat is losing weight

Hence, the cats weight change each week is $-1\frac{1}{8}$ ounces