4. A recipe calls for dividing 4 cups of flour into two portions in the ratio of 3 to 5. How many cups of flour should be in the larger portion?
Answer: C
The larger portion should contain 2 2/5 cups of flour.
To divide 4 cups of flour in the ratio of 3 to 5, we first find the total parts by adding the ratio components together, which is 3 + 5 = 8 parts. The larger portion, which corresponds to 5 parts, amounts to 2 2/5 cups of flour.
A) 3/5
This option represents a fraction of a cup, which is not appropriate for the larger portion in the context of dividing 4 cups of flour. Given the ratio, 3/5 cups is significantly less than the required larger portion.
B) 2
While 2 cups is a possible quantity, it does not reflect the correct division of the flour according to the specified ratio of 3 to 5. The larger portion must contain more flour than 2 cups based on the total of 8 parts.
C) 2 2/5
This option accurately reflects the larger portion of flour when dividing 4 cups in the ratio of 3 to 5. It is calculated by determining the value of one part as 4 cups divided by 8 parts, leading to the larger portion being 5 parts, or 5 * (4/8) = 2 2/5 cups.
D) 3
While 3 cups is a larger quantity, it does not conform to the specified ratio of 3 to 5. The calculations show that the larger portion must be less than 3 cups when considering the total of 4 cups and the ratio provided.
Conclusion
The correct answer, 2 2/5 cups, is derived from applying the given ratio to the total amount of flour. Options A, B, and D fail to meet the criteria established by the ratio, while only Option C accurately represents the larger portion based on the required calculations.