To determine how many tablecloths Mrs. James can make, we need to divide the total amount of fabric (20 meters) by the amount of fabric needed for each tablecloth (2 1/2 meters).

Step-by-step solution:

1. Convert $2 \frac{1}{2}$ meters to an improper fraction: $2 \frac{1}{2} = \frac{5}{2} \, \text{meters}$

2. Now, divide the total fabric (20 meters) by $\frac{5}{2}$ meters: $\text{Number of tablecloths} = \frac{20}{\frac{5}{2}} = 20 \times \frac{2}{5} = \frac{40}{5} = 8$

Mrs. James can make 8 tablecloths from 20 meters of fabric.

Would you like further details, or do you have any questions?

Here are 5 related questions:

1. How much fabric would be left over if Mrs. James had only 19 meters of fabric?
2. What if each tablecloth required 3 meters of fabric instead?
3. How many tablecloths can be made from 50 meters of fabric?
4. If the fabric cost $5 per meter, how much would the fabric for 8 tablecloths cost?
5. How much fabric would Mrs. James need to make 12 tablecloths?

Tip: When dividing by fractions, multiply by the reciprocal of the fraction for a quicker calculation.