Final answer:
Maria will need 276 cups of sugar to make 12 batches of the recipe, calculated by multiplying the sugar requirement for one batch (23 cups) by the desired number of batches (12).
Step-by-step explanation:
Maria needs to calculate the total amount of sugar necessary for making 12 batches of a recipe. To find this, we multiply the amount of sugar needed for one batch by the number of batches she wants to make. In this case, the recipe calls for 23 cups of sugar for one batch. Therefore, for 12 batches, Maria will need:
23 cups/batch × 12 batches = 276 cups
In this context, understanding proportion and unit conversions could also be beneficial, especially if the measure needs to be converted to another unit like quarts or gallons, but this is not asked for in the student's question. It's important to recognize that a clear step-by-step approach to solve the problem provides a solid grasp of how to tackle similar mathematical problems related to proportions and scaling recipes.