fractions

 

A box of 60 nails weighs 1 7/8 lb. Dave used 2 1/3 boxes to assemble 35 tables for a computer lab. How many pounds of bolts did he use?   

 

Bolts?  How did we go from nails to bolts?  

If you mean how many pounds of nails did he use, then  

 

                                          1 7/8 lb/box  •  2 1/3 box  =    

 

                                          15/8 • 7/3  =  105/24  =  4 9/24  =  4 3/8 pounds of nails  

 

Quick Check:  1 7/8 is almost 2  

                       2 1/3 is almost 2    

                       Multiply 2 • 2 and get 4.  So, 4 3/8 is plausible.   

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