Not setting up the correct proportion or equation

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 20 views

Solving the Casserole Conundrum: A Mathematical Delight

Gary is in the kitchen, whipping up a delicious casserole for his family and friends. However, he's only making a fraction of the original recipe, as he needs to serve a smaller group of people. Specifically, he requires only $\frac{1}{3}$ of the original serving size, and he needs to serve 4 people. The question is, how many servings did the original recipe make? In this article, we'll delve into the world of mathematics to solve this problem and explore the underlying equation that models the situation.

Let's break down the problem step by step. Gary needs to serve 4 people, and he's only making $\frac{1}{3}$ of the original serving size. This means that the number of servings he needs is 4, and the fraction of the original serving size he's making is $\frac{1}{3}$ . We can represent this situation using a simple equation.

Let $x$ be the number of servings in the original recipe. Since Gary needs to serve 4 people, and he's making $\frac{1}{3}$ of the original serving size, we can set up the following equation:

\frac{1}{3}x = 4

This equation states that the number of servings Gary needs ( $4$ ) is equal to $\frac{1}{3}$ of the number of servings in the original recipe ( $x$ ).

To solve for $x$ , we can multiply both sides of the equation by 3, which will eliminate the fraction:

x = 4 \times 3

x = 12

Therefore, the original recipe made 12 servings.

So, what does this result mean? It means that if Gary had made the full original recipe, he would have had 12 servings to distribute among his guests. However, since he only needs to serve 4 people, he's making a fraction of the original recipe, which is $\frac{1}{3}$ of the total servings.

In this article, we've used mathematical equations to solve a real-world problem. By setting up an equation that models the situation, we were able to determine the number of servings in the original recipe. This problem illustrates the importance of mathematical modeling in everyday life, as it allows us to make sense of complex situations and arrive at accurate solutions.

This problem has many real-world applications, such as:

Cooking and baking: When making a recipe, it's essential to understand the scaling factor, which is the ratio of the original serving size to the desired serving size.
Science and engineering: Mathematical modeling is a crucial tool in scientific and engineering applications, where it's used to describe complex systems and phenomena.
Finance and economics: Mathematical modeling is also used in finance and economics to describe economic systems, predict market trends, and make informed decisions.

In conclusion, this problem is a great example of how mathematical equations can be used to model real-world situations. By setting up an equation that represents the problem, we were able to arrive at an accurate solution. This problem has many real-world applications, and it highlights the importance of mathematical modeling in everyday life.
Frequently Asked Questions: Solving the Casserole Conundrum

In our previous article, we explored the problem of Gary making a casserole and only needing $\frac{1}{3}$ of the original serving size. We set up an equation to model the situation and solved for the number of servings in the original recipe. In this article, we'll answer some frequently asked questions related to this problem.

A: The fraction $\frac{1}{3}$ represents the ratio of the original serving size to the desired serving size. In this case, Gary needs to serve 4 people, and he's making $\frac{1}{3}$ of the original serving size. This means that the number of servings he needs is 4, and the fraction of the original serving size he's making is $\frac{1}{3}$ .

A: We arrived at the equation $\frac{1}{3}x = 4$ by setting up a proportion. Since Gary needs to serve 4 people, and he's making $\frac{1}{3}$ of the original serving size, we can set up the following proportion:

\frac{1}{3}x = 4

This equation states that the number of servings Gary needs ( $4$ ) is equal to $\frac{1}{3}$ of the number of servings in the original recipe ( $x$ ).

A: A proportion is a statement that two ratios are equal, while an equation is a statement that two expressions are equal. In this case, the proportion $\frac{1}{3}x = 4$ is equivalent to the equation $x = 4 \times 3$ , which we solved to find the number of servings in the original recipe.

A: Yes, scaling is a crucial concept in this problem. Scaling refers to the process of multiplying or dividing a quantity by a factor. In this case, Gary is scaling down the original recipe by a factor of $\frac{1}{3}$ , which means he's making $\frac{1}{3}$ of the original serving size.

A: This problem has many real-world applications, such as:

Cooking and baking: When making a recipe, it's essential to understand the scaling factor, which is the ratio of the original serving size to the desired serving size.
Science and engineering: Mathematical modeling is a crucial tool in scientific and engineering applications, where it's used to describe complex systems and phenomena.
Finance and economics: Mathematical modeling is also used in finance and economics to describe economic systems, predict market trends, and make informed decisions.

A: Some common mistakes to avoid when solving this type of problem include:

Not setting up the correct proportion or equation
Not solving for the correct variable
Not checking the units of the answer

In this article, we've answered some frequently asked questions related to the problem of Gary making a casserole and only needing $\frac{1}{3}$ of the original serving size. We've explained the significance of the fraction $\frac{1}{3}$ , how to arrive at the equation $\frac{1}{3}x = 4$ , and the concept of scaling. We've also discussed the real-world applications of this problem and some common mistakes to avoid when solving this type of problem.