There are 28.35 grams in an ounce and 2.21 pounds in a kilogram. Miriam converted 7 kilograms to ounces, but her answer is not correct. What is the best explanation of her error?

7 kilograms times StartFraction 1000 grams Over 1 kilogram EndFraction times StartFraction 28.35 grams Over 1 ounce EndFraction = 198,450 ounces
Miriam set up the problem correctly but made a multiplication error.
Miriam multiplied correctly, but her second fraction should be StartFraction 1 kilogram Over 1000 grams EndFraction.
Miriam multiplied correctly, but her third fraction should be StartFraction 1 ounce Over 28.35 grams EndFraction.
Miriam is missing a fraction that is needed to convert the 7 kilograms to pounds

1 answer

The best explanation of Miriam's error is:

Miriam multiplied correctly, but her third fraction should be StartFraction 1 ounce Over 28.35 grams EndFraction.

To convert kilograms to ounces, the correct setup should account for the conversion from kilograms to grams and then from grams to ounces. Miriam mistakenly used the fraction that multiplied grams by ounces in the wrong manner. The correct conversion from grams to ounces should use the fraction \( \frac{1 \text{ ounce}}{28.35 \text{ grams}} \) to convert grams into ounces.

The proper calculation should look like this:

\[ 7 \text{ kg} \times \frac{1000 \text{ grams}}{1 \text{ kg}} \times \frac{1 \text{ ounce}}{28.35 \text{ grams}} \]

This will give her the correct number of ounces.