Question

A student was conducting a study to determine how many loose Navel oranges that could be packed in different box sizes at the local farmer’s market.

Using the collected data above, what would be a reasonable rough estimate of the ratio of how many cubic inches per orange?




A. 32.5 oranges per cubic inch



B. 32.5 cubic inches per orange



C. 0.03 oranges per cubic inch



D. 0.03 cubic inches per orange

Answer 1

B. 32.5 cubic inches per orange

Explanation:

A student was conducting a study to determine how many loose Navel oranges that could be packed in different box sizes at the local farmer’s market. Using the collected data given, the estimate of the ratio of how many cubic inches per orange are 32.5 cubic inches per orange.

Answer 2

B. 32.5 cubic inches per orange

Explanation:

The question asks for "cubic inches per orange." Only two answer choices have those units. One of them is 32.5; the other is 0.03.

A cube that has a volume of 0.03 cubic inches has a side length of about 0.3 inches. Oranges aren't usually that small.

On the other hand, a cube with a volume of 32.5 cubic inches has a side length of about 3.2 inches. This is roughly the diameter of a typical orange, so is the best choice.

Roughly, the ratio of cubic inches to oranges is 32.5 cubic inches per orange.

_____

You can also plot the points on a graph and draw a line of best fit. It has a slope of about 32.5 cubic inches per orange.

_____

Comment on multiple choice problems

Often, a reasonable choice can be made based on the general nature of the relationships described in the problem. It is usually possible to eliminate several obviously wrong answers, sometimes leaving only the right one.