To calculate the kinetic energy of a running cheetah weighing 419 N and moving at 112 km/h, the correct approach involves converting the weight to mass using the formula F=ma, resulting in a mass of approximately 42.7 kg. The speed must also be converted from km/h to m/s, yielding about 31.1 m/s. The kinetic energy is then calculated using the formula KE=(1/2)m(v^2), leading to a result of approximately 20,700 joules. There was confusion regarding the units, as some participants initially thought the answers were in km/h instead of joules. Ultimately, the participants confirmed their calculations aligned with each other.