Final answer:
A cow produces approximately 6.24 gallons of milk per day, calculated by dividing 53 pounds by 8.5 pounds per gallon. This is a reasonable estimate for the large amount of milk produced and an appropriate unit of measurement.
Step-by-step explanation:
To estimate the number of gallons of milk a cow produces each day, you will need to use division. Given that the average cow produces about 53 pounds of milk per day and 1 gallon of milk weighs about 8.5 pounds, we can calculate the number of gallons by dividing the total pounds of milk by the weight of one gallon of milk, which is:
Number of gallons = Total pounds of milk ÷ Pounds per gallon
Number of gallons = 53 pounds ÷ 8.5 pounds/gallon
Number of gallons ≈ 6.24 gallons
This means a cow produces approximately 6.24 gallons of milk per day. This estimate is reasonable because when dividing the total poundage by the poundage per gallon, it gives a practical measure in gallons, an appropriate unit of capacity for such a large amount of liquid.