Question 1210256
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Convert 8 1/2 % to 8.5%.<br>
What you started with was 100%.<br>
The  INCREASE of 8.5% ADDS 8.5% to the original 100%, so the volume gets MULTIPLIED by 108.5% -- i.e., gets multiplied by 1.085.<br>
If the original volume is 1085 cubic feet, then the new volume is (1085)*(1.085) = 1177.225 cubic feet.<br>
ANSWER: the volume of the water AFTER freezing is 1177.225 cubic feet.<br>
Note however, that the language/punctuation in your post is faulty, so it is possible that the given 1085 cubic feet is AFTER the water has frozen.  If that is the case, then the given 1085 cubic feet must be DIVIDED by 1.085 to get the volume of the water before it was frozen.  That of course gives a much nicer answer:<br>
(1085)/(1.085) = 1000<br>
ANSWER: the volume of the water BEFORE freezing was 1000 cubic feet.<br>