A ketchup packet contains 3/16 ounce of ketchup. How many ketchup packets can be made using 24 ounces of ketchup?

Question

This is really hard. I tried everything I could and I just can't figure it out.

Answer 1

This question can be solved by thinking of it as a ratio.

If 1 packet = 3/16 ounce of ketchup, and we need to figure out how many packets we can make with 24 ounces, then we can say X is the number of packets.

we can create a fraction:

  1 packet       =   X packets  

3/16 ounces           24 ounces

To solve this, we can cross multiply:

1 packet * 24 ounces = X packets * 3/16 ounces

If we multiply it out, we will get:

24 = 3/16 X

Now, we just need to solve for X.

To get X by itself, we need to get rid of 3/16. To do that, we can divide both sides of the equation with 3/16.

  24   = 3/16 X

3/16      3/16

On the right side, since we are dividing 3/16 by itself, we will only have X.

 24   = X

3/16

So now, we just need to divide 24 by 3/16. Since we are dividing by a fraction, we need to get the reciprocal and multiply.

24 * (16/3) = X

This gives us 128 = X.

 

Therefore, 24 ounces of ketchup can make 128 packets! :)

Answer 2

What we know:  1 ketchup packet has 3/16 oz of ketchup

                           We have 24 oz of ketchup.

 

What were Trying to find out: How may packets of ketchup can be made with 24oz of ketchup.

 

To find the number of packets I simply divide 24 oz by the ounces in a single packet.  (24 / oz in packet)

P = 24/(3/16)

This is sort of confusing so lets look at it dividing one fraction by another. (24 = 24/1)

• P = (24/1) / (3/16)  To divide fraction you invert (tip over) the denominator and multiply, so
• P = (24 / 1) * (16 / 3)
• P = (24 * 16) / (1 * 3) multiply fractions Top times the Top over the Bottom times the Bottom
• P = (24 * 16) / 3   Bit of simplification
• P = 8 * 16  factor or cancel the 3 out of the numerator (top) and the denominator (bottom)
• P = 128  (number of 3/16 oz packets made from 24 oz of ketchup)

Hope this helps,

Steven P.