Answer:
The total amount, of red plums the market plans to order this year is 7.75 pounds
Step-by-step explanation:
* Lets change the story problem to numbers
- The market ordered 15 1/2 pounds of plums last year
# The amount of the plums last year is 15 1/2 pounds
* Change the mixed number 15 1/2 to improper fraction
15 1/2 ⇒ 15 × 2 + 1 = 31/2
- The market plans to order 1 1/4 times as many pounds of
plums as were ordered last year this year
# The amount of the plums this year = 1 1/4 × 31/2
* Change the mixed number 1 1/4 to improper fraction
1 1/4 ⇒ 1 × 4 + 1 = 5/4
∴ The amount of the plums this year = 5/4 × 31/2 = 155/8 pounds
# The amount of red plums is 2/5 of the order this year
∴ The red plums = 2/5 × 155/8 = 31/4 = 7 3/4 pounds
* The total amount, of red plums the market plans to order
this year is 7 3/4 pounds or 7.75 pounds
