SOLUTION: Mitchell is building a 6-foot square wooden deck for his tree house. He will use 3/4 inch thick pine planks that are 8 feet long and six inches wide. His carpenter's plans warn h

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Question 108451: Mitchell is building a 6-foot square wooden deck for his tree house. He will use 3/4 inch thick pine planks that are 8 feet long and six inches wide. His carpenter's plans warn him to not use pieces less than 3 feet long for the deck. How many planks must Mitchell buy to make the tree house deck?
I am in 5th grade and I can't figure this one out. Even my parents have worked on it and they can't figure it out.
Found 2 solutions by checkley71, stanbon:
Answer by checkley71(8403) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
6 FEET=6*12=72 INCHES NEED TO BE FILLED WITH 6 INCH PLANKS.
72/6=12 PLANKS BECAUSE HE CAN ONLY GET ONE 6 FOOT PLANK FROM EACH PIECE DUE TO HIS INABILITY TO USE THE 2 FOOT PIECE.

Answer by stanbon(75887) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Mitchell is building a 6-foot square wooden deck for his tree house. He will use 3/4 inch thick pine planks that are 8 feet long and six inches wide. His carpenter's plans warn him to not use pieces less than 3 feet long for the deck. How many planks must Mitchell buy to make the tree house deck?
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To cover the 6' width he will need 12 boards that are each 6 " wide.
When he cuts the 8 ft long board to get a 6' length he has a 2' piece
left over. But he cannot use that scap piece because it is less than
3 feet long.
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So he will have to buy 12 8'x(1/2)' boards.
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Cheers,
Stan H.