Final answer:
To calculate the length of each paper clip, divide the total length of the paper clips by the number of paper clips.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the length of each paper clip, we divide the total length of the paper clips by the number of paper clips. In this case, the total length is 17 7/8 inches and the number of paper clips is 26. First, we convert 7/8 to a decimal by dividing 7 by 8, which gives us 0.875. Then, we add 17 to 0.875 to get the total length as a decimal, which is 17.875 inches. Finally, we divide 17.875 by 26 to find the length of each paper clip. The result is approximately 0.6875 inches.