Question 175241
First, convert {{{2&5/8}}} to an improper fraction.


Step 1: Take the denominator 8 and multiply it by the whole number 2 to get {{{8*2=16}}}



Step 2: Now add the result 16 to the numerator 5 to get {{{16+5=21}}}. This result is the new numerator. The denominator stays the same.



So the mixed fraction {{{2&5/8}}} converts to the improper fraction {{{21/8}}}. In other words, {{{2&5/8=21/8}}}. If converting fractions doesn't make sense, I'd suggest studying it more (also feel free to ask me further).


-------------------------------------------------------------


Now let x=# of roses killed the night before




Since "this was {{{2&5/8}}} as many as the night before" (which also means "this was {{{21/8}}} as many as the night before"), we can say


{{{7182=(21/8)x}}}



What's going on here is that we're taking the # of roses from the night before (which is x) and multiplying it by {{{21/8}}} (which is also {{{2&5/8}}}) to get 7182



{{{7182*8=21x}}} Multiply both sides by 8



{{{57456=21x}}} Multiply



{{{57456/21=x}}} Divide both sides by 21 to isolate "x"



{{{2736=x}}} Divide



So the answer is {{{x=2736}}} which means that 2,736 roses were killed the night before