SOLUTION: If there are 2 1/2 cups of regular sugar and 1/4 brown sugar for a recipe that serves 8, how much of each sugar would it take to feed 12? I cannot figure out how to set this up.

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Question 675229: If there are 2 1/2 cups of regular sugar and 1/4 brown sugar for a recipe that serves 8, how much of each sugar would it take to feed 12? I cannot figure out how to set this up.
Also If a construction company paid its employees 14.50 an hour to to build 12 houses, how much should the company expect to pay its workers if it needs to build 20?
thank you...
Answer by ReadingBoosters(3246) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The recipe serves 8 but is needed to serve 12. The difference is 4 servings, which is half the original serving size. Therefore, 1 1%2F2 of the recipe is needed to serve 12.
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2 1%2F2 cups plus %281%2F2%29%285%2F2%29+=+5%2F4
where 2 1%2F2 is 2*2=4+1=5 so 5%2F2 as an improper fraction.
sugar requred is

where 15%2F4 is 33%2F4 cups of sugar
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1%2F4 cups brown sugar plus %281%2F2%29%281%2F4%29+=+1%2F8
cups of brown sugar.
...
%2814.50%29%2F12+=+x%2F20
cross multiply
290 = 12x
x=290/12 =highlight_green%28+21.16%29 for 20 houses