47. A mother is planning a birthday party. She will give each child 15 balloons. There are 50 balloons per packet. How many packets does the mother need if there will be 16 children?
Answer: A
The mother needs 5 packets of balloons.
To find out how many packets of balloons the mother needs, we first calculate the total number of balloons required for 16 children, which is 15 balloons per child multiplied by 16 children, resulting in 240 balloons. Since there are 50 balloons in each packet, dividing 240 by 50 gives us 4.8 packets. Rounding up, she needs 5 packets.
A) 5
This option is correct because it is derived from the calculation of total balloons needed (240) divided by the number of balloons per packet (50). Since 240 divided by 50 equals 4.8, the mother needs to purchase 5 packets to ensure there are enough balloons for each child.
B) 6
This option is incorrect. While 6 packets would provide 300 balloons (6 x 50), which is more than the 240 needed, it exceeds the amount required. Therefore, it is not the optimal choice for the number of packets needed.
C) 17
This option is incorrect as it suggests an excessive number of packets. If the mother were to purchase 17 packets, she would have 850 balloons (17 x 50), far surpassing the 240 balloons required. This indicates a significant overestimation of the needed quantity.
D) 50
This option is also incorrect. Choosing 50 packets would yield 2,500 balloons (50 x 50), which is unnecessarily high for the requirement of 240 balloons. Thus, it is not a reasonable choice for the number of packets needed.
Conclusion
The calculation leads to the conclusion that 5 packets are necessary to meet the balloon requirement for the party. All other options either underdeliver or significantly overestimate the amount of balloons needed, making them unsuitable choices for this scenario.