Final answer:
The relationship between the number of llamas (y) and cups of food mixture (x) can be represented by the proportional equation y/7 = x/4 which simplifies to 4y = 7x. This demonstrates how the number of cups needed scales with the number of llamas fed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between the cups of food mixture (x) and the number of llamas (y) could be represented by a proportional equation since for every fixed amount of mixture, a constant number of llamas can be fed.
If we are told that 4 cups of mixture are needed to feed 7 llamas, we can write this relationship as:
y/7 = x/4
To solve for x (the number of cups needed) given y (the number of llamas), we cross-multiply to find:
4y = 7x
This equation shows the proportional relationship between the cups of mixture and the number of llamas.
This scenario is akin to scaling recipes for cooking, where amounts of ingredients are increased or decreased in proportion to the desired number of servings.