A rectangular field is 900 yards by 240 yards. What is the greatest number of rectangular lots 120 yards by 60 yards that it can be divided into?

1 answer

To determine how many rectangular lots of dimensions 120 yards by 60 yards can fit in a rectangular field of dimensions 900 yards by 240 yards, we can follow these steps:

  1. Calculate the area of the field: \[ \text{Area of the field} = \text{length} \times \text{width} = 900 , \text{yards} \times 240 , \text{yards} = 216000 , \text{square yards} \]

  2. Calculate the area of one lot: \[ \text{Area of one lot} = \text{length} \times \text{width} = 120 , \text{yards} \times 60 , \text{yards} = 7200 , \text{square yards} \]

  3. Determine how many lots can fit based on area: \[ \text{Number of lots} = \frac{\text{Area of the field}}{\text{Area of one lot}} = \frac{216000}{7200} = 30 \]

  4. Verify the fitting of the lots within the dimensions of the field:

    • First, check how many lots fit along the length of the field (900 yards): \[ \frac{900}{120} = 7.5 \quad \text{(can fit 7 lots)} \]
    • Next, check how many lots fit along the width of the field (240 yards): \[ \frac{240}{60} = 4 \quad \text{(can fit 4 lots)} \]
    • Therefore, the total number of lots that can fit in the field is: \[ 7 \times 4 = 28 \]
  5. Try rotating the lots (if it can fit differently):

    • Check how many lots fit along the length of the field with the lot dimensions switched (60 yards by 120 yards):
      • Fit along the length (900 yards): \[ \frac{900}{60} = 15 \quad \text{(can fit 15 lots)} \]
      • Fit along the width (240 yards): \[ \frac{240}{120} = 2 \quad \text{(can fit 2 lots)} \]
    • Therefore, in this orientation: \[ 15 \times 2 = 30 \]

Conclusion: The total number of rectangular lots of dimensions 120 yards by 60 yards that can fit into the rectangular field is 30, by fitting the lots in the rotated configuration.

\[ \boxed{30} \]