Question

An art teacher buys clay for an animation project. Each box of clay weighs 5/2 kilograms. She buys 2 boxes of clay. How many boxes of clay did the teacher buy?

a) 5/4 boxes
b) 2 boxes
c) 5/2 boxes
d) 5 boxes

Answer 1

The art teacher bought 2 boxes of clay, each weighing 5/2 kilograms. The total weight of the clay is 5 kilograms.

(b) 2 boxes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The art teacher's purchase of clay for an animation project involves careful consideration of both the quantity and weight of the material. Each box of clay, in this case, has a weight of 5/2 kilograms. To determine the total weight of the clay purchased, one multiplies the number of boxes by the weight of each box. In this scenario, the teacher acquires 2 boxes, and the calculation is as follows: 2 boxes multiplied by 5/2 kilograms per box equals a total of 5 kilograms.

Now, the question seeks not the weight but the actual number of boxes acquired. To find this, one must divide the total weight by the weight of each box. In this case, 5 kilograms divided by 5/2 kilograms per box yields the answer: 2 boxes. Therefore, the art teacher indeed purchases 2 boxes of clay for the animation project.

This problem not only involves basic arithmetic but also requires an understanding of unit conversion and the relationship between the total weight and the weight per unit (in this case, per box). The solution underscores the importance of mathematical reasoning in practical scenarios, such as when acquiring materials for educational projects.