The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Of course. Here is the correct answer and a detailed explanation.
Correct Answer:
The number of tablespoons of peppers Valeria uses can be found by calculating 16 divided by 3. She uses 5 1/3 tablespoons of peppers. The amount of peppers she uses is more than the amount of garlic.
Explanation
The problem asks us to compare the amount of peppers and garlic Valeria uses in her recipe. To do this accurately, we must first express both ingredients in the same unit of measurement. The problem gives the amount of garlic in tablespoons, so the most direct approach is to convert the amount of peppers from cups to tablespoons.
First, we use the provided conversion rate, which is 1 cup equals 16 tablespoons. Valeria uses 1/3 of a cup of peppers. To find out how many tablespoons this is, we need to calculate 1/3 of 16. Multiplying a number by 1/3 is mathematically the same as dividing that number by 3. The problem guides us to this calculation in the first sentence, stating that the answer is found by calculating “16 divided by…”. Therefore, the correct number for the first blank is 3.
Next, we must perform this calculation. When we divide 16 by 3, the result is not a whole number. The number 3 goes into 16 five times (3 x 5 = 15), with a remainder of 1. This is expressed as the mixed number 5 1/3. So, Valeria uses 5 1/3 tablespoons of peppers. This value fills the second blank.
Finally, we compare the quantity of peppers to the quantity of garlic. We now know Valeria uses 5 1/3 tablespoons of peppers and 5 tablespoons of garlic. When comparing the two numbers, we can see that 5 1/3 is slightly larger than 5. For this reason, the amount of peppers she uses is more than the amount of garlic. This completes the final part of the question.
