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The U.S. quarter has a mass of 5.67 g and is approximately 1.55 mm thick.How many quarters would have to be stacked to reach 575 ft, the height of the Washington Monument?How much would this stack weigh?How much money would this stack contain?How much money would this stack contain?The US National Debt Clock showed the outstanding public debt to be $11,687,233,914,811.11 on August 19, 2009. How many stacks like the one described would be necessary to pay off this debt?

User Nickbusted
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Final answer:

To reach the height of the Washington Monument, approximately 113,088 quarters would need to be stacked, and the stack would weigh about 1,413.47 pounds and contain $28,272. To pay off the 2009 US public debt, around 413,223,654 stacks would be necessary.

Step-by-step explanation:

To answer the first part of the question, we need to calculate the number of quarters that would stack to reach 575 feet. First, convert the thickness from millimeters to feet: 1.55 mm is approximately 0.005085 feet (since 1 foot = 304.8 mm). Then, divide the height of the Washington Monument by the thickness of one quarter: 575 feet / 0.005085 feet/quarter ≈ 113,088 quarters.

To find the total weight, multiply the number of quarters by the mass of one quarter: 113,088 quarters * 5.67 g/quarter = 641,108.96 g, which is equivalent to ≈ 1,413.47 pounds (since 1 pound = 453.59237 grams).

To calculate the monetary value of the stack, multiply the number of quarters by $0.25 (the value of one quarter): 113,088 quarters * $0.25/quarter = $28,272.

To determine the number of stacks needed to pay off the public debt as of August 19, 2009, which was $11,687,233,914,811.11, divide the debt by the value of one stack: $11,687,233,914,811.11 / $28,272 ≈ 413,223,654 stacks.

User Raythurnevoid
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5 votes
575 ft = 575 · 304.8 = 175,260 mm
Number of the coins ( quarters ) in this stack:
175,260 : 1.55 = 113,071
The weight of this stack:
113,071 · 5.67 g = 651,288.26 g = 651.28896 kg
It contains:
113,071 · $0.25 = $28,267.75
$11,687,233,914,811.11 : $28,267.75 = 413,447,618.4 stacks like one described would be necessary to pay US debt.
User Jacobhyphenated
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