Math Problem Statement

A lemonade recipe requires 1 cup sugar per 8 cups water, for a 1/8 ratio. Andy's daughter is helping and accidentally puts 2 cups of sugar into the pitcher. "No problem," says Andy, "we'll just add more water." How many total cups of water should be put in the pitcher to maintain the 1/8 ratio?

Solution

To maintain the 1/8 sugar-to-water ratio, let's break it down:

The recipe requires 1 cup of sugar for every 8 cups of water. Andy's daughter added 2 cups of sugar, which is twice the amount of sugar originally intended. To keep the ratio, we need to double the amount of water as well.

Here’s how we solve it:

  • For 1 cup of sugar, you need 8 cups of water.
  • For 2 cups of sugar, you'll need 2×8=162 \times 8 = 16 cups of water.

Therefore, to maintain the correct ratio, 16 total cups of water should be added to the pitcher.

Would you like more details or have any questions about this?

Here are 5 related questions:

  1. What would the water amount be if 3 cups of sugar were used?
  2. How would you adjust if only 1.5 cups of sugar were added?
  3. If Andy initially only had 10 cups of water, how would the recipe change?
  4. How does this 1/8 ratio compare to common beverage dilution ratios?
  5. What if Andy’s daughter had added 2.5 cups of sugar instead?

Tip: Always check the ratio of ingredients before adjusting recipes, as proportional scaling is crucial for maintaining the desired flavor balance.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Ratios
Proportional Reasoning

Formulas

Sugar-to-Water Ratio = Sugar Amount / Water Amount

Theorems

Direct Proportion

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 5-7