Final answer:
The equation that models the situation is 7/8 = 1/4x. Chelsea can make 3.5 batches of icing with 7/8 pound of butter.
Step-by-step explanation:
To model the situation, we can set up an equation to represent the amount of butter Chelsea has and the amount of butter needed for each batch of icing. Let x be the number of batches of icing Chelsea can make.
We know that Chelsea has 7/8 pound of butter and each batch of icing requires 1/4 pound of butter. So, the equation can be written as:
7/8 = 1/4x
To solve for x, we can multiply both sides of the equation by 8/1:
x = (7/8)/(1/4) = 7/8 * 4/1 = 7/2 = 3.5
Therefore, Chelsea can make 3.5 batches of icing with 7/8 pound of butter.