Final answer:
Jay needs 36 towels to cover the entire 12-foot square floor with towels that have a side length of 2 feet.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student needs to find the number of towels needed to cover the entire 12-foot square floor. Each towel has a side length of 2 feet. To find the number of towels, divide the area of the floor by the area of one towel. The area of the floor is found by squaring the length of one side, so the area of the floor is 12 feet x 12 feet = 144 square feet. The area of one towel is found by squaring the side length, so the area of one towel is 2 feet x 2 feet = 4 square feet. Finally, divide the area of the floor by the area of one towel: 144 square feet ÷ 4 square feet = 36 towels. Therefore, Jay needs 36 towels to cover the entire floor.