The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is 4 cupcakes.
To determine the total number of cupcakes needed, the order must be separated into two parts: the amount for the family and the amount for the friends. By calculating each part and then adding them together, we can find the final quantity.
First, the order for the family is for “7 halves of a cupcake.” A half can be written as the fraction 1/2 or the decimal 0.5. To find the total for the family, we multiply 7 by 1/2. This gives us 7/2, which is equal to 3.5 cupcakes. So, three and a half cupcakes are required for the family’s portion of the order.
Second, the order includes an extra amount for “2 friends.” The text specifies that “They’ll each want a quarter of a cupcake.” A quarter can be written as the fraction 1/4 or the decimal 0.25. Since there are two friends, we need to calculate the total for both of them by multiplying 2 by 1/4. This results in 2/4, which simplifies to 1/2, or 0.5 of a cupcake.
Finally, to get the grand total, we combine the cupcakes for the family and the friends. We add the family’s 3.5 cupcakes to the friends’ 0.5 cupcake. The sum of 3.5 and 0.5 is 4. Therefore, the total order is for exactly four whole cupcakes. The instruction “Make it Nimble” is most likely a request regarding the flavor or style of the cupcakes and does not affect the calculation of the quantity.
