A logistics officer is preparing a cargo flight and needs to balance the weight distributi… — Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

A logistics officer is preparing a cargo flight and needs to balance the weight distribution of four different shipping pallets. Arrange the following pallets in order from the LIGHTEST to the HEAVIEST total mass.

1Pallet 4: 250 water purification filters, each weighing 50,000 centigrams
2Pallet 1: 150 medical kits, each weighing 850 grams
3Pallet 3: 60 ration boxes initially weighing 2.2 kilograms each, with a total of 4,000 grams of packaging removed from the overall pallet
4Pallet 2: 45 emergency generators, each weighing 3,000,000 milligrams

Answer

The correct order from lightest to heaviest is: Pallet 4, Pallet 1, Pallet 3, and Pallet 2.

By converting all measurements to kilograms, we find that Pallet 4 is 125 kg, Pallet 1 is 127.5 kg, Pallet 3 is 128 kg, and Pallet 2 is 135 kg. Ordering these mathematical products from lightest to heaviest yields Pallet 4, Pallet 1, Pallet 3, then Pallet 2.

Step-by-Step Solution

Select a common metric base unit for direct comparison.

Kilograms (kg) is chosen as the standard unit.

Comparing multiple quantities with different metric prefixes requires standardizing the units to avoid magnitude errors.

Calculate the total mass of Pallet 1.

150 \times 0.85 \text{ kg} = 127.5 \text{ kg}

Convert

850 \text{ g}

to kg by dividing by

1,000

, resulting in

0.85 \text{ kg}

per kit. Multiply by the

150

kits.

Calculate the total mass of Pallet 2.

45 \times 3 \text{ kg} = 135 \text{ kg}

Convert

3,000,000 \text{ mg}

to kg by dividing by

1,000,000

(since

1 \text{ kg} = 1,000,000 \text{ mg}

), resulting in

3 \text{ kg}

per generator. Multiply by the

45

generators.

Calculate the total mass of Pallet 3.

132 \text{ kg} - 4 \text{ kg} = 128 \text{ kg}

Find the initial mass (

60 \times 2.2 \text{ kg} = 132 \text{ kg}

). Convert the removed packaging to kg (

4,000 \text{ g} \div 1,000 = 4 \text{ kg}

), and subtract it from the total.

Calculate the total mass of Pallet 4.

250 \times 0.5 \text{ kg} = 125 \text{ kg}

Convert

50,000 \text{ cg}

to kg by dividing by

100,000

(since

1 \text{ kg} = 100,000 \text{ cg}

), resulting in

0.5 \text{ kg}

per filter. Multiply by the

250

filters.

Order the final mass values from least to greatest.

Pallet 4 (

125 \text{ kg}

) < Pallet 1 (

127.5 \text{ kg}

) < Pallet 3 (

128 \text{ kg}

) < Pallet 2 (

135 \text{ kg}

The question asks for the arrangement from lightest to heaviest.

Key Concept

Metric Unit Conversions and Multi-Step Operations

Estimated Time:3m 0s

Question

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

Common Mistakes

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