Final answer:
To determine how much essential oil is needed for 728 ounces of wax, a proportional calculation is performed based on the given wax-to-oil ratio. Cross multiplication reveals that 28 ounces of essential oil are required for 728 ounces of wax.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves a proportion where a small business uses essential oil and wax in a specific ratio to make candles. To find how much essential oil is needed for 728 ounces of wax, one can use a simple cross multiplication since the relationship between wax and essential oil is proportional. Given that 208 ounces of wax require 8 ounces of essential oil, for 728 ounces of wax, the calculation is as follows:
208 oz wax / 8 oz essential oil = 728 oz wax / x oz essential oil
By cross multiplying, we get:
208x = 728 \( \times \) 8
x = (728 \( \times \) 8) / 208
x = 5824 / 208
x = 28 ounces of essential oil
Therefore, for 728 ounces of wax, the company would need 28 ounces of essential oil.