Answer: The total number of pounds of cargo removed from the plane is 78497 pounds.
Step-by-step explanation:
Since we have given that
Weight of cargo plane = 500000 pounds
After the first load was taken off,
Weight of cargo plane = 437981 pounds
Weight of first load that was taken off is given by
[tex]500000-437981=62019\text{ pounds}[/tex]
Again , 16478 pounds were taken off,
So, total number of pounds of cargo removed form the plane is given by
[tex]62019+16478=78497\ pounds[/tex]
Yes, the answer is reasonable because the first load can be find out by taking difference of the original weight of plane and the net weight of the plane after the first load was taken off.
And weight of the second load is given in the question we just need to add both of these to get the total loads that was removed from the plane.
Hence, the total number of pounds of cargo removed from the plane is 78497 pounds.