Last year, Bob's Market ordered 15 1/2 pounds of plums from a local orchard. This year, the market plans to order 1 1/4 times as many pounds of plums as were ordered last year. They want 2/5 of this order to be red plums. What is the total amount, in pounds, of red plums the market plans to order this year?

The total amount, of red plums the market plans to order this year is 7.75 pounds

Step-by-step explanation:

* Lets change the story problem to numbers

- The market ordered 15 1/2 pounds of plums last year

# The amount of the plums last year is 15 1/2 pounds

* Change the mixed number 15 1/2 to improper fraction

15 1/2 ⇒ 15 * 2 + 1 = 31/2

- The market plans to order 1 1/4 times as many pounds of

plums as were ordered last year this year

# The amount of the plums this year = 1 1/4 * 31/2

* Change the mixed number 1 1/4 to improper fraction

1 1/4 ⇒ 1 * 4 + 1 = 5/4

∴ The amount of the plums this year = 5/4 * 31/2 = 155/8 pounds

# The amount of red plums is 2/5 of the order this year

∴ The red plums = 2/5 * 155/8 = 31/4 = 7 3/4 pounds

* The total amount, of red plums the market plans to order

this year is 7 3/4 pounds or 7.75 pounds