A batch of brownies uses 1 1/4 cups cocoa powder. If you bake 4 batches, how much cocoa powder is needed?

• A. 4 cups
• B. 4 1/2 cups
• C. 5 cups
• D. 3 cups

Answer: (C)

Scaling a recipe means multiplying the amount of each ingredient by the number of batches. Here, one batch uses 1 1/4 cups of cocoa powder. That’s 5/4 cups. For 4 batches, multiply: (5/4) × 4 = 5 cups.

You can also see it by splitting: 4 × 1 cup = 4 cups, and 4 × 1/4 cup = 1 cup; together that’s 5 cups. The total amount needed is 5 cups.