1. **State the problem:** You have a mixture ratio of water to release agent as 8:1. You are using 32 ounces of water and want to find how many ounces of release agent to mix. 2. **Understand the ratio:** The ratio 8:1 means for every 8 parts of water, there is 1 part of release agent. 3. **Set up the proportion:** Since 8 parts correspond to 32 ounces of water, find how many times 8 fits into 32: $$\frac{32}{8} = 4$$ 4. **Calculate the release agent amount:** Multiply this factor by 1 (the release agent part): $$4 \times 1 = 4$$ 5. **Answer:** You should mix 4 ounces of release agent with 32 ounces of water. This ensures the 8:1 ratio is maintained.