Question

a cookie factory uses 3 3/4 barrels of oatmeal in each batch of cookies. the factory used 7 1/2 barrels of oatmeal yesterday. how many batches of cookies did the factory make? write your answer as a fraction or as a whole or mixed number. batches

Explanation:

Step1: Convert mixed - numbers to improper fractions

$3\frac{3}{4}=\frac{3\times4 + 3}{4}=\frac{15}{4}$; $7\frac{1}{2}=\frac{7\times2+1}{2}=\frac{15}{2}$

Step2: Divide total oatmeal by oatmeal per batch

The number of batches $n=\frac{\frac{15}{2}}{\frac{15}{4}}$. According to the rule of dividing by a fraction ($\frac{a}{b}\div\frac{c}{d}=\frac{a}{b}\times\frac{d}{c}$), we have $n = \frac{15}{2}\times\frac{4}{15}$.

Step3: Simplify the fraction

$\frac{15\times4}{2\times15}=\frac{4}{2}=2$

Answer:

2