Math Problem of the Week - Middle School - June 27, 2021 to July 3, 2021

Middle School: 

Question: Micah sculpts two statues, one of a dog and one of a cat. The real-life dog weighs 20 pounds, and its statue weighs 48 pounds. The real-life cat weighs 15 pounds. If the statues are both proportional to the animals in weight, then how much does the cat's statue weigh?

Answer: 36 pounds

Solution: Since 20 ÷ 48 = ⁵/₁₂, the ratio of the animals’ weight to their statues’ must be 5:12. The cat weighs 15 pounds, so its statue’s weight must be 36 pounds because 5:12 = 15:36.