Question

A clerk sold three pieces of one type to different customers. One piece was 4 3/8 yards long, another was 1 5/7 yards long, and the third was 13 3/4 yards long. What was the total length of that type of ribbon sold?

Answer 1

To determine the total length of ribbon sold to different customers

Step 1: Let’s assume,

The length of the first piece of ribbon be L1 = 4 3/8 yards long

`L_1\text{ = 4}(3)/(8)yards\text{ }`

Step 2: The length of the second piece of ribbon be L2 = 1 5/7yards long

`L_2\text{ = 1}(5)/(7)yards\text{ }`

Step 3: The length of the third piece of ribbon be L3 = 13 3/4 yards long

`L_3\text{ = 13}(3)/(4)yards`

Step 4: Therefore,

The total length of the type of ribbon sold was,

= L1 + L2 + L3

`\begin{gathered} =4(3)/(8)+1(5)/(7)+13(3)/(4) \\ =(35)/(8)+(12)/(7)+(55)/(4) \\ =(245+96+770)/(56) \\ =(1111)/(56) \\ =19(47)/(56) \end{gathered}`

Hence the total length of the type of ribbon sold was 19 47/56yards long