If a bookshelf is 2 8/1 inches long, how many 1 7/8 inch thick books will it hold? =

Answer 1

To find the number of books the bookshelf will hold, we need to divide the length of the bookshelf by the thickness of each book.

To divide a mixed number by a fraction, we first need to convert the mixed number into an improper fraction.

The length of the bookshelf is 2 8/1 inches, which is equivalent to 16/1 + 8/1 = 24/1 inches.

So, the bookshelf is 24/1 inches long.

Now, we divide 24/1 by 1 7/8.

To divide by a fraction, we multiply by its reciprocal.

The reciprocal of 1 7/8 is 8/15.

So, 24/1 ÷ 1 7/8 = 24/1 × 8/15

Multiplying the numerators and denominators gives:

24/1 × 8/15 = (24 × 8) / (1 × 15) = 192/15

Therefore, the bookshelf will hold 192/15 or 12 12/15 or 12 4/5 or 12.8 books.

So, the bookshelf will hold approximately 12.8 books.