At the art store, Aisha bought a few blocks of clay to make a teapot and matching mugs for her aunt. She used 2
1
2
 pounds of clay to make the mugs and 1
1
2
 times as much clay for the teapot. If each block of clay weighed 2 pounds, how many blocks did Aisha use in all?
Write your answer as a whole number, fraction, or mixed number. Simplify any fractions.

To solve the problem, let's break it down step by step.

1. **Amount of clay for the mugs:**
   Aisha used \( 2 \frac{1}{2} \) pounds of clay for the mugs. In improper fraction form, this is:
   \[
   2 \frac{1}{2} = \frac{5}{2} \text{ pounds.}
   \]

2. **Amount of clay for the teapot:**
   She used \( 1 \frac{1}{2} \) times as much clay for the teapot as she used for the mugs. So, the amount of clay for the teapot is:
   \[
   1 \frac{1}{2} \times \frac{5}{2} = \frac{3}{2} \times \frac{5}{2} = \frac{15}{4} \text{ pounds.}
   \]

3. **Total amount of clay used:**
   To find the total amount of clay Aisha used, add the clay for the mugs and the clay for the teapot:
   \[
   \frac{5}{2} + \frac{15}{4}.
   \]
   To add these fractions, we need a common denominator. The least common denominator is 4, so we rewrite \( \frac{5}{2} \) as \( \frac{10}{4} \):
   \[
   \frac{10}{4} + \frac{15}{4} = \frac{25}{4} \text{ pounds.}
   \]
   This is equivalent to \( 6 \frac{1}{4} \) pounds of clay.

4. **How many blocks of clay Aisha used:**
   Since each block of clay weighs 2 pounds, the number of blocks Aisha used is:
   \[
   \frac{6 \frac{1}{4}}{2} = \frac{25}{4} \div 2 = \frac{25}{4} \times \frac{1}{2} = \frac{25}{8}.
   \]
   This simplifies to \( 3 \frac{1}{8} \) blocks of clay.

So, Aisha used \( 3 \frac{1}{8} \) blocks of clay in total.

Would you like more details or have any questions?

Here are some related questions:
1. How do you simplify mixed numbers?
2. What is the process for multiplying fractions?
3. How do you convert improper fractions to mixed numbers?
4. How do you find the least common denominator?
5. How do you divide fractions?

**Tip:** When multiplying mixed numbers, it's often easier to convert them to improper fractions first!

At the art store, Aisha bought a few blocks of clay to make a teapot and matching mugs for her aunt. She used 2 1/2 pounds of clay to make the mugs and 1 1/2 times as much clay for the teapot. If each block of clay weighed 2 pounds, how many blocks did Aisha use in all? Write your answer as a whole number, fraction, or mixed number. Simplify any fractions.

Learn how to solve a real-world fraction word problem involving the total number of blocks of clay Aisha used. This solution covers key concepts such as fraction multiplication, addition, and division. Suitable for students in Grades 5-7.

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