Exercising causes an athlete’s body to lose potassium, and it is important to replenish this nutrient after a race.

For middle-school students, the recommended amount of potassium intake is 4.5 grams per day. If a student athlete eats a banana containing 0.54 grams of potassium, and drinks 6 ounces of orange juice containing 0.372 grams of potassium, how many more grams of potassium does she need?

How can you find how many more grams of potassium the athlete needs to reach the recommended amount?

To solve this problem, I would

1 answer

To determine how many more grams of potassium the athlete needs to reach the recommended amount of 4.5 grams, you can follow these steps:

  1. Calculate the total potassium intake from the banana and orange juice:

    • The potassium from the banana is 0.54 grams.
    • The potassium from the orange juice is 0.372 grams.
    • Add these two amounts together to find the total intake from both foods.

    \[ \text{Total potassium intake} = 0.54 , \text{grams} + 0.372 , \text{grams} = 0.912 , \text{grams} \]

  2. Determine the recommended daily intake:

    • The recommended amount of potassium for middle school students is 4.5 grams.
  3. Calculate the remaining potassium needed:

    • Subtract the total potassium intake from the recommended daily intake.

    \[ \text{Potassium needed} = 4.5 , \text{grams} - 0.912 , \text{grams} = 3.588 , \text{grams} \]

  4. Conclusion: The athlete needs 3.588 grams more potassium to reach the recommended intake of 4.5 grams.

By following these steps, you find how much more potassium the athlete needs after consuming a banana and orange juice.