Question 737680
Help for a dyslexic in Algebra should be done live, in-person; not just through text and symbols on an internet help site.  


You say, "dyslexic".  Do you also mean, "dyscalculic"?  


You both should read the problem and question a few times, not just once or twice.  Read, analyze, and think.  DRAW PICTURES ---- REALLY!.  


Keeping in the form of the numbers given, try representing a drawn figure like a rectangle as the pineapple.  It does not have the appearance of a pineapple, but this comparison may yet be acceptable to represent the pineapple.  Cut the figure using segments drawn with pencil, into FIVE equal parts.  The reason you do this is because FIVE is the denominator of the fraction, {{{4/5}}}.


Try something more specific.  Draw the rectangle again, and label it as 2&1/2 pounds of pineapple.  Hopefully this will be understood.  Along the top, draw marks which cut the top into FIVE equal parts.  Why? each section will represent {{{1/2}}} pound of pineapple.  Somehow,you and she must understand that the five parts of {{{1/2}}} pound each will be {{{2&1/2}}} pounds altogether.  

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If that much is good, then continue.
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Draw marks along the side to cut the side into FIVE equal lengths.  Now, using the marks along the top and the marks along the side, draw a grid.  


You have now cut the rectangle into 25 pieces of equal size.  
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Explaining this in more steps is difficult and another example of why doing this help through this kind of system is maybe not the best for  a dyslexic.
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but if you count or shade 4 of the 5 equal parts of the rectangle, do you see that the number of counted or shaded parts is 20?  Can you also judge that {{{20/25}}} here represents 2 pounds?  This may make sense pictorially (or maybe difficult).

Note also, that {{{20/25=4/5}}}.


The arithmetic will work this way:
Wanted is {{{4/5}}} of {{{2&1/2}}}.


The "of" indicates multiplication.  {{{5/5}}} of {{{2&1/2}}} is {{{2&1/2}}}.  Four fifths of it is some bit less.


{{{(4/5)*(2&1/2)=(4/5)*(2/1+1/2)}}}, we need to manipulate the mixed number 
={{{(4/5)*(2/1+1/2)=(4/5)*((2*2)/2+1/2)}}}, must change to improper fraction
={{{(4/5)*(4/2+1/2)=(4/5)*(5/2)}}}, now ready to multiply
={{{(4*5)/(5*2)}}}, hopefully you know this...
={{{(4*5)/(5*2)=(2*cross(2*5))/(cross(5*2))}}}, simplifying
=2
meaning 2 pounds of water.