Final answer:
After converting the mixed numbers to improper fractions and performing division, David can adopt 3.5714, or approximately 3 mini-dragons when rounded down. However, since the answer must be a whole number and rounding down is required, he would be allowed to adopt 2 mini-dragons based on the options provided.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is a math problem involving division and rounding down to find out how many mini-dragons David can adopt based on the yard space required per mini-dragon and the total yard space he has. To solve this, we divide David's total yard space by the space required for each mini-dragon.
David has 12 1/2 square feet of yard space, and the requirement is 3 1/2 square feet per mini-dragon. To make the division easier, convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions. 12 1/2 becomes 25/2, and 3 1/2 becomes 7/2. Now divide 25/2 by 7/2, which is the same as multiplying 25/2 by the reciprocal of 7/2, giving us 25/2 x 2/7, or 25/7 after simplifying.
The result is approximately 3.5714, but since we need to round down to the nearest whole number, David can adopt 3 mini-dragons. However, this option is not listed, hence the correct choice by looking at the given options would be A) 2 mini-dragons.