a recipe calls for 1/2 cup of ingredient a for every 1 1/5 cups of ingredient B. you use 4 cups of ingredient A. how many cups of ingredient b do you need

We can solve this by making a ratio:

Let A = amount of ingredient A in cups
Let B = amount of ingredient B in cups

From the first recipe statement:

(A/B) = (1/2 cup)/(1 2/5 cups)

1 2/5 cups = 7/5 cups

So

(A/B) = (1/2)/(7/5)

Cross-multiply:

(7/5)A = (1/2)B

Solve for B:

B = 2*(7/5)A

B = (14/5)A

If A = 2 cups, then B = (14/5)* 2 cups = 28/5 cups = 5 3/5 cups

Because of mourning president bush's death