Question

A candle maker has 4 1/2 pounds of clear wax. He wants to cut the wax into pieces that are 2/3 pound each. How many 2/3 pound pieces can he divide the wax into? How much wax is left over?

Answer 1

Answer:

a)  10  pieces of  2/3 pound  can be made.

b) 0.54 pounds of wax is left over.

Step-by-step explanation:

Total amount of clear wax available =  $4\frac{1}{2} = \frac{9}{2}$ pounds

So, the maker has in total 4.5 pounds of wax

Now, The weight of each piece = $\frac{2}{3} = 0.66$  pounds

To find the number of pieces that can be made out of 4.5 pounds of wax,

let that number = n

So, $n = \frac{\textrm{Total weight of the clear wax}}{\textrm{Weight of each wax}}$

or, n = $n = \frac{4.5}{0.66} = 6.81$

So, nearly 6 pieces can be made completely out of the clear wax

Left over amount of wax  = Total weight -  Weights of the pieces made

                                            =  4.5- 6(0.66)

                                            = 0.54 pounds

Hence, 0.54 pounds of wax is left over