If a recipe needs 2.5 pounds of an ingredient, how many ounces is that?

To convert pounds to ounces, it is essential to know the conversion factor: there are 16 ounces in 1 pound. Therefore, to convert 2.5 pounds into ounces, you would multiply 2.5 by 16.

Calculating that gives:

2.5 pounds x 16 ounces/pound = 40 ounces.

This calculation shows that 2.5 pounds is equivalent to 40 ounces, confirming that the answer is correct. Understanding this conversion is crucial in situations where precise measurements are needed, particularly in cooking, pharmaceuticals, and other applications where accurate measurement of ingredients or compounds is necessary.