Question

Janet is making a fruit salad. She mixes in 3.25 cups of orange melon and 2 2/3 cups or watermelon.
How many cups of melon does Janet put in the salad?

Answer 1

To find the total amount of melon Janet puts in the salad, we need to add the cups of orange melon and watermelon together.

First, let's convert the mixed number of watermelon (2 2/3 cups) to an improper fraction:

\[
2 \frac{2}{3} = \frac{2 \times 3 + 2}{3} = \frac{6 + 2}{3} = \frac{8}{3}
\]

Now, we can add the two quantities together. The orange melon is \(3.25\) cups, which can also be expressed as a fraction. Since \(3.25\) is the same as \(3\frac{1}{4}\), we convert it to an improper fraction:

\[
3\frac{1}{4} = \frac{3 \times 4 + 1}{4} = \frac{12 + 1}{4} = \frac{13}{4}
\]

Now we need to add \(\frac{13}{4}\) and \(\frac{8}{3}\). To do this, we find a common denominator for the two fractions. The least common multiple of \(4\) and \(3\) is \(12\).

Next, we convert each fraction to have a denominator of \(12\):

\[
\frac{13}{4} = \frac{13 \times 3}{4 \times 3} = \frac{39}{12}
\]
\[
\frac{8}{3} = \frac{8 \times 4}{3 \times 4} = \frac{32}{12}
\]

Now we can add these two fractions:

\[
\frac{39}{12} + \frac{32}{12} = \frac{39 + 32}{12} = \frac{71}{12}
\]

To convert \(\frac{71}{12}\) into a mixed number, we divide \(71\) by \(12\):

\[
71 \div 12 = 5 \quad \text{with a remainder of } 11
\]

So, \(\frac{71}{12} = 5 \frac{11}{12}\).

Therefore, the total amount of melon that Janet puts in the salad is

\[
\frac{71}{12} \text{ cups or } 5 \frac{11}{12} \text{ cups.}
\]