Braingle: 'Temperature' Brain Teaser

Temperature

Science brain teasers require understanding of the physical or biological world and the laws that govern it.

Puzzle ID:	#28691
Fun:	(2.01)
Difficulty:	(1.02)
Category:	Science
Submitted By:	rquest
Corrected By:	Tiger25

A child went to the doctor. The doctor took the child's temperature. On his note pad the doctor noted the temperature as 97.6. After the examination the doctor told the child that he was perfectly healthy. How can this be?

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Answer

98.6 degrees Fahrenheit is only an average of people's body temperatures. Someone's true temperature may be either a little higher or a little lower.
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Comments

miss_attitude Feb 18, 2006	I liked this, but it was way too easy.
vballgrl754 Feb 18, 2006	i thought it was boring and not challenging
piano70 Feb 18, 2006	Good one!Easy,but good for the begenners,like me
yo_girl Feb 19, 2006	It's a good teaser, it's easy though.
WJSMama Feb 19, 2006	That was good and easy. The other answer could be that the doctor wrote the auxilary (underarm) temperature, which is one degree lower.
mitzimesser Feb 20, 2006	My usual temp is 96.8. I have a slow metabolism, so it is normally low. If I have a temp of 98.6, I have a fever. lol
wizofaus Feb 21, 2006	Why is this in the "trick" category?
bagogirl Feb 23, 2006	that was easy for me, but that's probably because my temp. is always low
horses_rock101 Feb 24, 2006	that was so easy but still a good teaser
horses_rock101 Feb 24, 2006	that was so easy but still a good teaser
Angelli Feb 25, 2006	i liked it but it was too easy
tintiniscool Feb 26, 2006	That one was really boring
IMCUL4E Feb 28, 2006	MY average temp is 96.8! go figure!
brainybrain Mar 03, 2006	nice, but it was really easy... next time get a question that gets readers more involved or into it!
king_leonard Mar 20, 2006	didnt really answer it coz i didnt see te hint button and we live in AUS and always us Celcius so yeah
GebbieRose May 31, 2006	I agree with WJSMama's answer & reasoning.
spazzyjazzy93 Jun 24, 2006	that was an okay teaser i thought the doctor recorded the temperature of the room or something
cyberstar5150 Jun 30, 2006	For a minute I thought it said "the doctor told the child that HE was perfectly healthy", as in the doctor was healthy. But the kid was screwed
batatis Jun 25, 2007	or he was just checkin the weather outside. it never said he was checkin the kids temp.
spinnercat Sep 09, 2007	i think this should have gone in the science category.
oddrey Sep 10, 2007	SHould have been in the trivia category. Sorry, but this one was way too easy and common knowledge. Nice effort though.
TableElbows Aug 21, 2009	That was it??