Final answer:
Abigail needs 6 cups of sugar to make 15 cups of lemonade, based on the original ratio from the recipe, which calls for 2 cups of sugar for every 5 cups of lemonade.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks us to calculate the amount of sugar needed if Abigail wants to make 15 cups of lemonade, given that the recipe calls for 2 cups of sugar for every 5 cups of water. To find the answer, we use a concept known as proportion. Setting up a proportion based on the given recipe allows us to scale the amount of sugar up to the desired amount of lemonade.
First, we determine the ratio from the recipe, which is 2 cups of sugar to 5 cups of lemonade. Since Abigail wants to make 15 cups of lemonade, we set it up as a fraction and find the equivalent fraction that equals 15 cups in the denominator:
- Original ratio: 2 cups sugar / 5 cups lemonade
- To find for 15 cups lemonade: x cups sugar / 15 cups lemonade
By cross-multiplication:
We multiply 2 by 15 and divide by 5:
- x = (2 * 15) / 5
- x = 30 / 5
- x = 6 cups of sugar
Therefore, Abigail needs 6 cups of sugar to make 15 cups of lemonade.