Assume the average height and weight of a female in your math class is 5'5" and 140 pounds. Use this information to write a variation equation then use it to find the weight of the female below if they had the same body type as the average female. Round answer to the nearest pound.

Kelly 5'6"

3 answers

5'5" = 65"
5'6" = 66"

So, assuming a linear relationship,

66/65 * 140 lb
Steve the answer according to my book is 147
Well, I guess that's possible. You have given no other data for determining the line, so I assumed it started at (0,0).

In that case, my answer is 142.15

If, however, the data suggest that the line is given by

w = 4.85 + 66/65 h

then the answer would be 147. Better check the original problem to be sure you have accounted for all the given data.

It's quite possible that the line is given by

w = 36.8 + 66/65 (h-3.7) or something. No idea. All we have to go on is that the slope is probably 66/65. Even that is not certain, since we only have one data point to go on. It's hard to build a variation equation from one point, since it's usually a least-squares fit, using several points to estimate the line.