Mason is a caterer packing up silverware and plates for a big corporate event. Each piece of silverware weighs 4 ounces, and there are three pieces of silverware per setting. Each plate weighs 12 ounces, and there are two plates per setting. If Mason needs enough settings for 15 tables with 8 settings each, plus 20 backup settings in case of breakage, how many ounces will all the settings weigh?
Thoughts? Step-by-step reasoning:
First find the total weight of the silverware per setting: 4 ounces / piece * 3 pieces / setting = 12 ounces / setting. Then find the total weight of the plates per setting: 12 ounces / plate * 2 plates / setting = 24 ounces / setting. Then add those two amounts to find the total weight per setting: 12 ounces / setting + 24 ounces / setting = 36 ounces / setting. Then multiply the number of tables by the number of settings per table to find the number of table settings: 15 tables * 8 settings / table = 120 settings. Then add the 20 backup settings to find the total number of settings: 120 settings + 20 settings = 140 settings. Then multiply the total number of settings by the weight per setting to find the total weight: 140 settings * 36 ounces / setting = 5040 ounces.
Thus, the answer is 5040.