Final answer:
To determine the total amount of 24-6-12 fertilizer needed for 5500 square feet of turf, multiply the rate of 1.5 lb of nitrogen per 1000 square feet by the total area, and then divide by the percentage of nitrogen in the fertilizer, which results in 34.375 pounds of fertilizer required.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the amount of 24-6-12 fertilizer needed, we should use the rate of 1.5 lb of nitrogen (N) per 1000 square feet (ft²), and apply it to the given area of 5500 ft² of turf.
First, we calculate the total amount of nitrogen needed:
- 1.5 lb N/1000 ft² * 5500 ft²
After performing the multiplication, we get:
- 1.5 lb N * 5.5 = 8.25 lb N
However, we need to determine the total weight of the fertilizer that needs to be applied to provide this amount of nitrogen, not just the nitrogen content. Since the fertilizer has a nitrogen content of 24% (as indicated by the first number in the 24-6-12 ratio), we need to divide the total nitrogen needed by the percentage of nitrogen in the fertilizer:
- 8.25 lb N / 0.24 = 34.375 lb of fertilizer
Therefore, the homeowner needs to apply 34.375 pounds of the 24-6-12 fertilizer to the turf.