Question

Last year, Bob's Market ordered 15 1/2 pounds of plums from a local orchard. This year, the market plans to order 1 1/4 times as many pounds of plums as were ordered last year. They want 2/5 of this order to be red plums. What is the total amount, in pounds, of red plums the market plans to order this year??

Answer 1

The total amount, of red plums the market plans to order this year is 7.75 pounds

Explanation:

* Lets change the story problem to numbers

- The market ordered 15 1/2 pounds of plums last year

# The amount of the plums last year is 15 1/2 pounds

* Change the mixed number 15 1/2 to improper fraction

15 1/2 ⇒ 15 × 2 + 1 = 31/2

- The market plans to order 1 1/4 times as many pounds of

plums as were ordered last year this year

# The amount of the plums this year = 1 1/4 × 31/2

* Change the mixed number 1 1/4 to improper fraction

1 1/4 ⇒ 1 × 4 + 1 = 5/4

∴ The amount of the plums this year = 5/4 × 31/2 = 155/8 pounds

# The amount of red plums is 2/5 of the order this year

∴ The red plums = 2/5 × 155/8 = 31/4 = 7 3/4 pounds

* The total amount, of red plums the market plans to order

this year is 7 3/4 pounds or 7.75 pounds