Final answer:
By multiplying the hourly baking rate of 18.5 pounds by 7.5 hours, it can be determined that 138.75 pounds of cookies can be baked in that time frame.
Step-by-step explanation:
If 18.5 pounds of cookies can be baked in 1 hour, we can find out how many pounds can be baked in 7.5 hours by multiplying the hourly rate by the number of hours. So, we perform the calculation 18.5 pounds/hour × 7.5 hours.
Let's do the math: 18.5 × 7.5 = 138.75
Thus, 138.75 pounds of cookies can be baked in 7.5 hours at the given rate.