Final answer:
To find out how many 2 2/5-foot pieces can be made from a 40 4/5-foot pipe, convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions and divide. The plumber can cut 17 pieces, making the answer Option A.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asked is a math problem regarding the division of lengths of copper pipe. To find out how many pieces of 2 2/5 feet long can be cut from a 40 4/5 feet long copper pipe, we need to divide the total length of the pipe by the length of each piece. First, convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions: 2 2/5 becomes 12/5 and 40 4/5 becomes 204/5. Then, divide 204/5 by 12/5, which is the same as multiplying 204/5 by the reciprocal of 12/5, which is 5/12.
The calculation will be (204/5) × (5/12) = 204/12 = 17. Therefore, the plumber can cut 17 pieces of copper pipe, each 2 2/5 feet long, from the longer pipe. The correct answer is Option A.