Question

Shanti brought five and four-sixths pounds of shrimp to the seafood boil. James brought four and one-half pounds of crawfish. Roberto brought six and five-eighths pounds of crab. How many pounds of seafood were at the boil?

1) fifteen and ten twenty-fourths pounds
2) fifteen and ten-twelfths pounds
3) sixteen and fifteen twenty-fourths pounds
4) sixteen and nineteen twenty-fourths pounds

Answer 1

By converting the weights of shrimp, crawfish, and crab to improper fractions with a common denominator, adding them together, and then converting back to a mixed number, we find a total of 16 and 19/24 pounds of seafood at the boil (option 4).

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the total weight of the seafood brought to the seafood boil, we simply add the weights of the shrimp, crawfish, and crab.

• Shanti's shrimp: 5 and 4/6 pounds
• James's crawfish: 4 and 1/2 pounds
• Roberto's crab: 6 and 5/8 pounds

First, convert these mixed numbers to improper fractions to make addition easier:

• 5 and 4/6 pounds = (5 × 6 + 4)/6 = 34/6 pounds
• 4 and 1/2 pounds = (4 × 2 + 1)/2 = 9/2 pounds
• 6 and 5/8 pounds = (6 × 8 + 5)/8 = 53/8 pounds

Before adding, convert all fractions to have a common denominator, which is 24 in this case:

• 34/6 pounds = 136/24 pounds
• 9/2 pounds = 108/24 pounds
• 53/8 pounds = 159/24 pounds

Now we can add them up:

136/24 + 108/24 + 159/24 = 403/24 pounds

Converting the improper fraction back into a mixed number:

403/24 = 16 and 19/24 pounds

Therefore, the total amount of seafood at the boil is 16 and 19/24 pounds, which corresponds to option 4).