Question

Each week, Mrs.Mack buys exactly 3 5/8 pounds of cheese for her mac-and-cheese recipe. She chooses from these kinds of cheese. Mrs.Mack buys as many packages as she needs— up to three packages of any kind. What packages of cheese (and how many of each kind) does Mrs.Mack buy? 7/8pounds of american cheese. 0.5 pounds of cheddar cheese. 0.2 pounds of swiss cheese. HELP PLEASE

Answer 1

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Answer:

• 3 packages of American (7/8 lb)
• 2 packages of cheddar (1/2 lb)

Step-by-step explanation:

The amount of cheese Mrs Mack needs is an odd number of eighths of a pound. So, she must buy an odd number of the 7/8 pound packages.

If she were to buy any 1/5 pound packages, she would have to buy a multiple of 5 of them so as to have an integral number of eighths. The only suitable multiple is 0.

If Mrs Mack buys 1 of the 7/8 pound packages, she cannot make up the difference with half-pound packages. She must buy 3 of the 7/8 pound packages, for a total of 2 5/8 pounds of American cheese. The remaining pound can be bought as 2 of the 1/2 pound packages.

To buy 3 5/8 pounds, Mrs Mack must purchase ...

  3 packages of American cheese (7/8 lb each)

  2 packages of Cheddar cheese (1/2 lb each)