Convert pounds to kilograms, please help

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Can you show me step by step an easy way of converting these.

9 lbs 6 ounces I put 4.47 Correct answer is 4.26

17lbs 14 ounces I put 8.61 Correct answer is 8.13

62lbs 12 ounces I put 28.93 Correct answer is 28.52

My method is obviously not working. I am always so close. Please help.

Thanks in advance...:crying2::crying2::cry:

thats weird because i get 17.14/2.2= 7.79=7.8 . I checked it on a converting program and the answer is still the same as mine. I have also passed all my math tests with 100% so I don't know what to say.

17 lbs 14 ounces =/= 17.14 lbs

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Specializes in ICU.

Well until I get an instructor that tells me that 2.2lbs doesn't equal a Kilogram and all the books used that have taught me to do my math the way that I do then I'll continue to do them this way or unless all of a sudden I start failing my maths test then I am not wrong. There are many different ways to get a right answer.

The problem with the way you did your calculation is that 17lbs 14oz does not equal 17.14. That is why your answer came out differently.

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Specializes in ICU, Home Health Care, End of Life, LTC.

This is a fairly common mistake. 17lbs 14 ounces IS NOT 17.14lbs IT IS 17 14/16 lbs.

An ounce is not a tenth of a pound but a sixteenth of a pound.

An easy way to conceptualize this is hours and minutes.

1 hour and 15 minutes IS NOT 1.15 hours IT IS 1 15/60 hours.

Other example include inches, feet and miles; ounces (liquid), pints, quarts and gallons.

Hope this helps, this is part of the reason for the change to the metric system (oh that's right we haven't changed because people are SOOO familiar with our system.)

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Specializes in Pediatric Heme/Onc and Pulmonary.

RossaysoonRN,

I'm not sure why you are getting so defensive. I was just trying to help demarys who asked a question. You are correct that 2.2 # is equal to 1 kg. What you did incorrectly was divide 17.14 by 2.2 instead of converting your oz to pounds 1st. You would first divide 14/16 to get 0.875. Add the 0.875 to 17 to get 17.875. Then divide 17.875 by 2.2. This is a very common mistake, but in pediatrics just a little bit off can make a significant difference in the dose.

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