If a lion can consume 6 ounces of meat every 20 minutes, how many pounds can she consume in 2 1/2 hours?

To solve this dietary dilemma, we first need to figure out how many eating opportunities the lioness (Review) has. Since there are 60 minutes in an hour, 2 1/2 hours is equal to 150 minutes. By dividing the total time (150 minutes) by the eating interval (20 minutes), we find that she eats 7.5 times. Multiplying those 7.5 instances by the 6 ounces of meat she consumes each time gives us a total of 45 ounces.

The final step is converting ounces to pounds. Knowing that there are 16 ounces in one pound, we simply divide the 45 ounces by 16. This calculation gives us the answer of 2.8125 pounds. For those who prefer fractions, this is the same as 45/16, which simplifies to the mixed number 2 and 13/16 pounds of meat.

While our math problem shows a steady rate of consumption, a real lion's meal is typically more of a feast-or-famine event. As hypercarnivores, lions can gorge themselves, eating up to 25% of their body weight in a single sitting—that's over 80 pounds for a large male! After such a massive meal on a fresh kill, a lion might rest for over 24 hours and may not need to hunt again for several days.