Gold or Feathers
Number Theory
Level
pending
Does a pound of gold or a pound of feathers weight more?
Same Weight
Pound of Gold
Pound of Feathers
This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try
refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and,
finally, (c)
loading the
non-javascript version of this page
. We're sorry about the hassle.
1 solution
The feathers. A pound of feathers is measured in avoirdupois weight, in which one pound equals 16 ounces. Precious metals are measured in troy weight, in which one pound equals 12 ounces.
However, the ounces are not measured in the same way. In avoirdupois weight, one ounce = 437.5 grains. In troy weight, one ounce = 480 grains.
So, one pound of feathers weighs (16)x(437.5 grains) = 7,000 grains. One pound of gold weighs (12)x(480 grains) = 5,760 grains.