Background: White blood cells also make chemicals that cause a fever. A fever is a higher-than-normal body temperature. Normal human body temperature is 98.6°F (37°C). Most bacteria and viruses that infect people reproduce fastest at this temperature. When the temperature is higher, the pathogens cannot reproduce as fast, so the body raises the temperature to kill them. A fever also causes the immune system to make more white blood cells. In these ways, a fever helps the body fight infection.

Situation: Jim and Pam are a married couple who both have the same illness. They are at home from work today and are in the process of taking their temperatures so they know if they need to go to the doctor or not. After using the thermometer, they learn that Pam has a much higher fever than Jim. They decide they should take Pam to the doctor to get her looked at.

Question: Does Jim have more or less white blood cells than Pam?
Answer: less

Situation: Jim and Pam are a married couple who both have the same illness. They are at home from work today and are in the process of taking their temperatures so they know if they need to go to the doctor or not. After using the thermometer, they learn that Pam has a much higher fever than Jim. They decide they should take Pam to the doctor to get her looked at.

Question: Does Pam have more or less white blood cells than Jim?
Answer: more

Situation: Jim and Pam are a married couple who both have the same illness. They are at home from work today and are in the process of taking their temperatures so they know if they need to go to the doctor or not. After using the thermometer, they learn that Pam has a much higher fever than Jim. They decide they should take Pam to the doctor to get her looked at.

Question: The bacteria is reproducing faster in which person?
Answer: Pam

Situation: Jim and Pam are a married couple who both have the same illness. They are at home from work today and are in the process of taking their temperatures so they know if they need to go to the doctor or not. After using the thermometer, they learn that Pam has a much higher fever than Jim. They decide they should take Pam to the doctor to get her looked at.

Question: The bacteria is reproducing slower in which person?
Answer: Pam

Situation: Bobby and Jimmy are brothers and living in the same house. They both had to stay home from school today due to feeling sick. Their mom has taken the temperature of both boys and found that Bobby has a higher fever than Jimmy. She will closely monitor them over the next couple days and make sure Jimmy's fever doesn't go up any higher while also trying to reduce Bobby's fever.

Question: Which boy currently has more white blood cells?
Answer: Bobby

Situation: Bobby and Jimmy are brothers and living in the same house. They both had to stay home from school today due to feeling sick. Their mom has taken the temperature of both boys and found that Bobby has a higher fever than Jimmy. She will closely monitor them over the next couple days and make sure Jimmy's fever doesn't go up any higher while also trying to reduce Bobby's fever.

Question: Which boy currently has less white blood cells?
Answer: Jimmy

Situation: Jeremy and Becky are both home from school today and their mother is taking their temperature. After seeing the results on the thermometer, his mother is contemplating taking Jeremy to the doctor because he is running a much higher fever than Becky.

Question: Who currently has more white blood cells?
Answer: Jeremy

Situation: Jeremy and Becky are both home from school today and their mother is taking their temperature. After seeing the results on the thermometer, his mother is contemplating taking Jeremy to the doctor because he is running a much higher fever than Becky.

Question: Who currently has less white blood cells?
Answer: Becky