Final answer:
To find the amount of rice needed for one teaspoon of salt, we establish a ratio from the initial mixture of 1/2 cup of rice to 1/6 cup of salt. One teaspoon is 1/48 of a cup, and using the ratio, we determine that 1/4 cup of rice is needed for one teaspoon of salt, which is option b.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves determining the correct proportion of rice to salt when given a different amount of salt to use. Since Sam used 1/2 cup of rice for 1/6 cup of salt, we can find the ratio of rice to salt. This ratio is 1/2 divided by 1/6, which equals 3/1 or simply 3. This means for every cup of salt, you need three cups of rice. Since we want to find out the amount of rice needed for 1 teaspoon of salt, we need to know the equivalent of one teaspoon to cups. Assuming that there are three teaspoons in one tablespoon and sixteen tablespoons in one cup, then there are 48 teaspoons in one cup. Therefore, 1 teaspoon equals 1/48 of a cup. Using the ratio of 3 cups of rice for every cup of salt, we multiply 3 by 1/48, which gives us 1/16 cups of rice. Since the 1/4 cup is equivalent to 4/16, this is the closest measurement to that ratio, we choose option b) 1/4 cup of rice for one teaspoon of salt.