A bag of potatoes weighing 5 pounds and 12 ounces cost $2.07. What is the cost of 1 pound of potatoes?

Question

Skylar Adams · Accepted Answer

One pound of potatoes cost #$0.36# or #36# cents.

As one pound is equal to #16# ounces, we can write #5# pounds and #12# ounces as #5 12/16=5 3/4=23/4# pounds. Now #23/4# pounds of potatoes cos #$2.07=207/100# Hence, one pond of potatoes cost #(207/100)/(23/4)# = #207/100xx4/23# = #(9cancel207)/100xx4/(1cancel23)# = #36/100=0.36# Hence, one pound of potatoes cost #$0.36# or #36# cents.

Emery Allen · Answer

Another approach. Really it is the same thing in disguise!

#$0.36# To start with this be the same as the other solution. Will very slightly change in the middle. Then end up the same again. The important thing to remember is that #16 oz = 1 lb# '~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Given weight #" "5color(white)(.) lb" " +" " 12/16color(white)(.)lb# This is the same as #5 3/4 color(white)(.)lb -> 5.75color(white)(.)lb# The cost is #$2.07# so as a ratio we have: #($2.07)/(5.75color(white)(.)lb)# But we need the cost for #1color(white)(.)lb# Let the unknown cost be #x#, then by the law of ratios we have #($2.07)/(5.75color(white)(.)lb) -= x/(1color(white)(.)lb)# But #x/1# is the same as just having #x# so #x=($2.07)/(5.75color(white)(.)lb)" "=" "$0.36#

Gabriel Agustin · Answer

undefined To find the cost of 1 pound of potatoes, first convert the weight of the bag of potatoes to pounds. Then divide the total cost by the weight in pounds.

1 pound = 16 ounces
5 pounds and 12 ounces = 5 + 12/16 = 5.75 pounds

Cost of 1 pound of potatoes = $2.07 / 5.75 pounds ≈ $0.36