Final answer:
To make the lemonade recipe requiring 2 1/2 quarts of water, you convert the measurement to cups. Since one quart equals 4 cups, you will need 10 cups of water in total.
Step-by-step explanation:
There are a couple of ways to calculate the number of cups of water needed for the recipe:
Method 1: Using direct conversion factors
Convert quarts to cups: There are 4 cups in 1 quart.
Calculate the total number of cups in 2 quarts: 2 quarts × 4 cups/quart = 8 cups.
Add the fractional part: 2 1/2 quarts is equivalent to 2 + 1/2 = 5/2 quarts.
Convert the fractional part to cups: 1/2 quart × 4 cups/quart = 2 cups.
Add the whole and fractional parts: 8 cups + 2 cups = 10 cups.
Therefore, you should use 10 cups of water for the recipe.
Method 2: Using the recipe directly
Recognize that "2 1/2" is the same as 5/2.
Multiply the water quantity by the number of cups per quart: 5/2 quarts × 4 cups/quart = 10 cups.
Both methods lead to the same answer: 10 cups of water.
So, you should use 10 cups of water to make the lemonade according to the recipe. Remember that the recipe specifically calls for 2 1/2 quarts, which translates to 10 cups.