Several batches of stew were made yesterday. Each batch required 1 and two-thirds pounds of meat. All together, 10 and StartFraction 5 over 6 EndFraction pounds of meat was used. Janice tried to find the number of batches of stew made. Her work is shown below.

Question

Several batches of stew were made yesterday. Each batch required 1 and two-thirds pounds of meat. All together, 10 and StartFraction 5 over 6 EndFraction pounds of meat was used. Janice tried to find the number of batches of stew made. Her work is shown below.

10 and StartFraction 5 over 6 EndFraction divided by 1 and two-thirds = StartFraction 65 over 6 EndFraction divided by five halves = StartFraction 65 over 6 EndFraction times StartFraction 2 over 5 EndFraction = StartFraction 130 over 30 EndFraction = 4 and one-third

When she checked the answer by estimating, it did not make sense. What error did Janice make?
Janice converted a mixed number to the wrong improper fraction.
Janice added the numerators and denominators instead of multiplying.
Janice did not change the division problem to multiplication.
Janice did not convert the improper fraction to a mixed number correctly in the answer.

Answer 1

Janice added the numerators and denominators instead of multiplying. She should have multiplied 10 and StartFraction 5 over 6 EndFraction by the reciprocal of 1 and two-thirds (which is StartFraction 3 over 5 EndFraction) to correctly find the number of batches of stew made.