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A rectangularbroom has an area of 131 1/4 square feet. The length of the room is 12 1/2 feet. What is the width, in feet, of the room?

User Orsy
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The formula for area is l × w. Since we already know what the length is, we just have to do this simple equation: 131 1/4 ÷ 12 1/2 to get the width. This works because dividing is the opposite of multiplying. Just like 5 - 3 = 2, and 2 + 3 = 5. We have to convert 131 1/4 and 12 1/2 into improper fractions in order for us to be able to divide it. 131 1/4 = 525/4, and 12 1/2 = 25/2. Then we divide! Remember that dividing a fraction by another fraction is the same as multiplying a fraction by the other fraction's reciprocal (flipping the numerator and denominator). So our equation is 525/4 × 2/25 = 1050/100. Simplify the product, and we get

--> 21/2 or 10 1/2 feet <--

Hope this helps! ^u^
User Invader Zim
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