Question

what is the total cost for 2 9/10 pounds of vine - ripened tomatoes?
vine - ripened tomatoes $6 per pound
roma tomatoes $5 per pound
plum tomatoes $3 per pound
heirloom tomatoes $3 per pound
cherry tomatoes $4 per pound
pear tomatoes $3 per pound

Explanation:

Step1: Convert mixed number to improper fraction

The weight of vine - ripened tomatoes is \(2\frac{9}{10}\) pounds. To convert a mixed number \(a\frac{b}{c}\) to an improper fraction, we use the formula \(\frac{a\times c + b}{c}\). So for \(2\frac{9}{10}\), we have \(a = 2\), \(b=9\), \(c = 10\). Then \(2\frac{9}{10}=\frac{2\times10 + 9}{10}=\frac{20 + 9}{10}=\frac{29}{10}\) pounds.

Step2: Find the cost per pound

From the table, the cost of vine - ripened tomatoes is \(\$6\) per pound.

Step3: Calculate the total cost

The total cost is the product of the weight and the cost per pound. So we multiply \(\frac{29}{10}\) by \(6\). Using the formula for multiplying a fraction by a whole number \(\frac{m}{n}\times k=\frac{m\times k}{n}\), we get \(\frac{29}{10}\times6=\frac{29\times6}{10}=\frac{174}{10}\). Simplify \(\frac{174}{10}\) by dividing numerator and denominator by \(2\), we get \(\frac{87}{5}=17.4\).

Answer:

\(17.4\)