Question

Potatoes are made up of 99% water and 1% "potato matter. Mr. T. Bought 100 pounds of potatoes and left them outside in the sun for a while. When he returned, he discovered that the potatoes had dehydrated and were now only made up of 98% water. How much did the potatoes now weigh?

Answer 1

Answer: 99pounds

Explanation:

Dehydration refers to the loss of water from an organic substance such as potatoes.

Before dehydration:

Initial composition of potatoes = 99% water + 1% "potato matter = 100%

Initial weight of potatoes = 100 pounds

After dehydration:

Final composition = 98% water + 1% "potato matter ( 1% "potato matter is solid particle, so it cannot be lost by dehydration) = 99%

Final weight of potatoes = ?

Let the final weight of potatoes be Z

Therefore, 100% composition weighed 100 pounds

while 99% composition weighed Z pounds

Since ratio of composition in % to weight is 1:1

Z = 99 pounds

Thus, the dehydrated potatoes now weigh 99 pounds.