Final answer:
Using the given ratio of 1 ½ ft. of snow melting to 2 in. of water, a simple proportion shows that 2 ¼ ft. of snow will melt to 3 inches of water.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how many inches of water will 2 ¼ ft. of snow melt to under typical conditions, we need to set up a proportion. We know that 1 ½ ft. of snow melts to 2 in. of water. Using this information, we can write the following equation:
1.5 ft (snow) / 2 in (water) = 2.25 ft (snow) / x in (water)
Where x represents the unknown amount of water in inches that 2 ¼ ft. of snow would melt to. To solve for x, we can simply cross-multiply and divide:
(1.5) * (x) = (2.25) * (2)
1.5x = 4.5
To find the value of x, we then divide both sides by 1.5:
x = 4.5 / 1.5
x = 3
Therefore, 2 ¼ ft. of snow will melt to 3 inches of water.