SOLUTION: first off i'd like to state that i've never taken algebra and am going back to school for the first time since 1976,, so please don't laugh i do know a lil about the construction s

Algebra ->  Percentage-and-ratio-word-problems -> SOLUTION: first off i'd like to state that i've never taken algebra and am going back to school for the first time since 1976,, so please don't laugh i do know a lil about the construction s      Log On


   

Question 65555This question is from textbook strategies for problem solving
: first off i'd like to state that i've never taken algebra and am going back to school for the first time since 1976,, so please don't laugh i do know a lil about the construction stuff done it for 24 years it's the fraction stuff that gets me
a floor is 12'6" in width and 10'4" in length,new tiles of 5" on each side,
express the area of the kitchen floor in sq.ft. as an improper fraction.
express the area of each tile in sq ft.
how many tiles required to tile the floor This question is from textbook strategies for problem solving

Answer by 303795(602) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
6" is half of 12" (a foot) and 4 " is a third of 12". so the floor is 12 and a half feet in width and 10 and a third feet in length.
To find the area multiply the length and width so
Area+=+length+%2A+width+=+12%2B%281%2F2%29+%2A+10%2B%281%2F3%29
Change each mixed numeral into an improper fraction by multiplying the whole number by the denominator (number on the bottom of the fraction) and then add the fraction part.
%2825%2F2%29%2A%2831%2F3%29=%2825%2A31%29%2F%282%2A3%29
775%2F6=129%2B%281%2F6%29
The tiles are 5/12 of a foot on each side. The area will be found by multiplying the width and the length together.
%285%2F12%29%2A%285%2F12%29=%285%2A5%29%2F%2812%2A12%29=25%2F144
Find the number of tile required by dividing the area of one tile into the area of the floor.
Tiles+required=Area+of+floor%2FArea+of+a+tile
%28129%2B%281%2F6%29%29+%2F+%2825%2F144%29
Rewrite all fractions as improper fractions, invert the dividing fraction and change the sign to multiply.
%28775%2F6%29+%2A%28144%2F25%29
%28775%2A144%29%2F%286%2A25%29
111600%2F150
744 tiles (note this is a nice round mathematical answer but some tiles may need to be cut into pieces to fit)