Question

Each volume of an encyclopedia is 2 1/3 in wide how many volumes will fit on a 18 inch wide Shelf

Answer 1

namely how many times does 2⅓ go into 18.

well, let's firstly convert the mixed fraction to "improper" and then get the quotient.


`\bf \stackrel{mixed}{2(1)/(3)}\implies \cfrac{2\cdot 3+1}{3}\implies \stackrel{improper}{\cfrac{7}{3}} \\\\\\ \cfrac{\quad 18\quad }{(7)/(3)}\implies \cfrac{\quad (18)/(1)\quad }{(7)/(3)}\implies \cfrac{18}{1}\cdot \cfrac{3}{7}\implies \cfrac{84}{7}\implies 12`