A mother is planning a birthday party. She will give each child 15 balloons. There are 50 balloons per packet. How many packets does the mother need if there will be 16 children?

Rationale

She will need 5 packets of balloons.

To determine the number of packets of balloons required, first calculate the total number of balloons needed for 16 children by multiplying 15 balloons per child, which results in 240 balloons. Since each packet contains 50 balloons, dividing 240 by 50 gives us 4.8, which rounds up to 5 packets.

A (5) CORRECT

This choice is correct because the total number of balloons needed is 240. Dividing this number by 50 (the number of balloons in each packet) results in 4.8. Since you can't purchase a fraction of a packet, the mother must buy 5 packets to ensure enough balloons are available.

B (6) YOUR ANSWER

This choice is incorrect. While 6 packets would indeed provide 300 balloons (6 x 50), which is more than enough, it does not represent the minimum required. The calculation shows that only 5 packets are necessary, making this option an overestimate.

C (17) YOUR ANSWER

This choice is incorrect. Buying 17 packets would yield 850 balloons (17 x 50), far exceeding the 240 needed. This option reflects a misunderstanding of the calculation and results in a significant surplus of balloons.

D (50) YOUR ANSWER

This choice is incorrect. Purchasing 50 packets would provide 2,500 balloons (50 x 50), which is excessively more than required. This option indicates a lack of understanding of the problem's requirements, as it far exceeds the number of balloons needed for the party.

Conclusion

The mother needs to buy 5 packets of balloons, as this amount provides exactly 250 balloons, sufficient for the 16 children attending the birthday party. Each of the incorrect options either overshoots or underestimates the actual requirement based on the given calculations, emphasizing the importance of accurately assessing total needs in planning.

A mother is planning a birthday party. She will give each child 15 balloons. There are 50 balloons per packet. How many packets does the mother need if there will be 16 children?

She will need 5 packets of balloons.

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