Problem 68 - Prealgebra

Question

Perform the indicated operations. If fish costs \(\$ 5.00\) per pound, find the cost of 14 pounds.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The total cost for 14 pounds of fish is \( \$70.00\).

Step 1: Determine the Known Values

First, identify the values given in the problem. We are given the cost per pound of fish, which is \( \$5.00\), and the total pounds of fish purchased, which is 14 pounds.

Step 2: Multiply to Find Total Cost

To find the total cost of purchasing the fish, multiply the cost per pound by the number of pounds. This can be calculated as: \( 5.00 \times 14 \). Perform this multiplication to determine the total cost.

Step 3: Calculate the Product

Now calculate the multiplication: \( 5.00 \times 14 = 70.00 \). Therefore, the total cost of 14 pounds of fish is \( \$70.00\).

Key Concepts

Problem Solving

Problem-solving is like putting together the pieces of a puzzle. When you start with a problem, the first step is always to identify what you know and what you need to find out. Here, we know the cost per pound of fish and the total pounds we want to buy.

• Determine the known information: In this case, the cost is $5.00 per pound and we intend to buy 14 pounds.
• Identify what needs to be calculated: We need to calculate the total cost.
• Select the appropriate operation: Since it's a multiplication problem, we need to multiply the cost per unit by the total units.

Understanding these initial steps is crucial. It’s about breaking down the problem into smaller parts. This method not only applies to calculations like this, but also to many other types of problems you might encounter.

Unit Cost Calculations

Unit cost calculations are essential in determining how much a single item costs and then applying that to a larger quantity. It’s simple yet powerful. For example, knowing the unit cost of an item helps you calculate the total cost based on quantity.

• Unit cost is the cost per single unit: Here, the unit is a pound of fish, and it costs $5.00.
• Calculate total cost by multiplying: You take the unit cost and multiply by the quantity, which is 14 pounds.

Knowing how to use unit costs helps in budgeting and financial decisions. Whether you're shopping for groceries or planning an event, unit cost allows you to quickly determine the total expense for any given quantity.

Basic Arithmetic Operations

Basic arithmetic operations include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. In this exercise, we focused on multiplication as the arithmetic operation needed to solve the problem.

• Identify the operation required by the problem: Here, we need to multiply, which is a key arithmetic operation.
• Multiply the two numbers: The cost per pound ($5.00) and the total quantity (14 pounds) are multiplied to find the total.
• Perform the operation: Multiply $5.00 by 14 to get $70.00.

These operations form the foundation of most mathematical problems you'll encounter. Mastering these operations will allow you to easily tackle more complex mathematics in the future.