Question

Janelle and her friend are tie-dying shirts. The instructions indicate that 1 1/2 tablespoons of powdered dye are needed for every 3 quarts of hot water. Janelle places 4 tablespoons of dye in the tub.
How much water should she add to follow the proportions in the instructions?

Answer 1

You can use the ratio:
1.5 tablespoons = 3 quarts or
(3 quarts) / (1.5 tblspoons) = 1

with this we will say we start with 4 tablesions a d the conversion for tablespoons to quarts is listed above so I like to use the train track method to cancel things. i will draw best I can. everything I. top is multiplied and on bottom is divided:

4 tbl ][3 quarts][
-------------------- = 8 quarts
][ 1.5 tbl ][

Since there is a tablespoon on the top and one on the bofrom we are able to cancel out tablespoons with division. when we multiply by quarts we are left with that unit.

whenever you convert to another unit, if draw this train track thing, put you starting value on top. You take the conversion factor and flip it whichever way so that you can put your starting unit on bottom and cancel it out. this will leave you with the desired unit