A female police officer wants to gain approximately 6 pounds in 6 weeks. How large should her weekly caloric surplus be to achieve this goal?

To gain approximately 6 pounds in 6 weeks, the officer needs to establish a caloric surplus since one pound of body weight is generally associated with a caloric surplus of about 3,500 calories.

To calculate the total caloric surplus needed for the desired weight gain, you would multiply the desired weight gain (6 pounds) by the caloric equivalent of one pound (3,500 calories), which results in 21,000 calories. Over the duration of 6 weeks, this would mean a weekly caloric surplus of 3,500 calories (21,000 total calories divided by 6 weeks).

By dividing the total required caloric surplus by the number of weeks, it becomes clear that a weekly surplus of 3,500 calories allows for the accumulation of 6 pounds over the 6-week period. This approach effectively aligns the increase in caloric intake with the physiological processes of weight gain, making it the correct answer to achieve the officer’s goal.