SOLUTION: You want to put a 2 inch thick layer of topsoil for a new 13 ft by 14 ft garden. The dirt store sells by the cubic yards. How many cubic yards will you need to order? The store onl

Algebra ->  Probability-and-statistics -> SOLUTION: You want to put a 2 inch thick layer of topsoil for a new 13 ft by 14 ft garden. The dirt store sells by the cubic yards. How many cubic yards will you need to order? The store onl      Log On


   

Question 1208340: You want to put a 2 inch thick layer of topsoil for a new 13 ft by 14 ft garden. The dirt store sells by the cubic yards. How many cubic yards will you need to order? The store only sells in increments of 1/4 cubic yards.
Answer by ikleyn(52754) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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You want to put a 2 inch thick layer of topsoil for a new 13 ft by 14 ft garden.
The dirt store sells by the cubic yards. How many cubic yards will you need to order?
The store only sells in increments of 1/4 cubic yards.
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Let's find the volume of the topsoil.

In our case, the volume is the product of the three dimensions.


2 inch thick is  2%2F12 = 1%2F6  of a foot.  So, the volume of the topsoil is

    V = 13%2A14%2A%281%2F6%29 = 30.33333333...  cubic feet.


One cubic feet is  1%2F3%5E3 = 1%2F27  of a cubic yard.


So, the volume V in cubic yards is  V = %281%2F27%29%2A30.33333333 = 1.12345679 cubic yards.


With the increment of 1/4 cubic yard, this volume is between 1 cubic yard and  5%2F4 = 11%2F4  cubic yards.


ANSWER.  11%2F4  cubic yards of topsoil should be ordered.

Solved.