Final answer:
To find the width of Mr. Shaw's family room, divide the area (262.8 square feet) by the length (18 feet), resulting in a width of 14.6 feet.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mr. Shaw wants to replace the flooring in his family room, and to find the width, we need to use the formula for the area of a rectangle (Area = length × width). Given that the area of the room is 262.8 square feet and the length is 18 feet, we can set up the equation:
262.8 = 18 × width
Now, divide both sides of the equation by 18 to solve for the width:
Width = 262.8 ÷ 18
Width = 14.6 feet
Therefore, the width of Mr. Shaw's family room is 14.6 feet.