Question

Were the old lady’s scales a reliable measure of height and weight? What convoluted logic were her measurements based on?

Answer 1

The scales on which the old lady measured her height and weight were unreliable. Because they were outdated and imprecise, they misrepresented the weight, and the lady had changed them to reflect more height. People want to picture themselves as thinner and taller, thus they were flattering to them, according to her thinking.