Mark has three 4 1/2 oz cans of tomatoes and ?ve 8 1/4 oz cans. How many ounces of tomatoes does Mark have?
Ignore the fractional parts of the mixed numbers at first and multiply the whole number portion of the ounces by the corresponding number of cans; 4 ×3 = 12 ounces and 8 ×5 = 40 ounces. Adding together 12 and 40, you get a total of 52. Next, find the fractional portion. By multiplying the fractional part by the corresponding number of cans; ½ ×3 = 3/2 = (1)1/2= ounces and 1/4 ×5 = 5/4 = (1)1/4 ounces. Add together these fractional parts (1)1/2 +(1)1/4 = (2) 3/4 + 1(1/4) = 2 3/4. Add this answer to the answer from the whole numbers to get the final answer; 23/4 + 52 = 54 3/4 ounces. If you chose a, you did not consider that he has THREE of the smaller cans and FIVE of the larger cans.