To determine how much paint is needed to cover 500 square feet, we can use a proportion.
Given that 1 gallon of paint covers 200 square feet, we can set up the following proportion:
1 gallon / 200 square feet = x gallons / 500 square feet
To solve for x (the amount of paint needed to cover 500 square feet), we cross-multiply:
1 gallon * 500 square feet = 200 square feet * x gallons
500 gallons * square feet = 200 square feet * x gallons
Now, divide both sides of the equation by 200 square feet to isolate x:
(500 gallons * square feet) / 200 square feet = x gallons
Simplifying the equation, we get:
2.5 gallons = x
Therefore, you would need 2.5 gallons of paint to cover 500 square feet.