Final answer:
The total length of pipe needed is 193 feet, which is not listed in the options provided. This indicates a possible typo in the question or options.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the total amount of pipe stock needed, simply add the lengths of all the required pieces together. The student needs to cut:
- Two pieces of 3 feet each
- One piece of 17 feet
- Three pieces of 29 feet each
- One piece of 83 feet
Performing the addition, we have:
(2 × 3) + (1 × 17) + (3 × 29) + (1 × 83) = 6 + 17 + 87 + 83 = 193 feet
However, the options given do not include 193 feet, suggesting there might be a typo in the question. Therefore, none of the options provided (a) 183 feet, (b) 157 feet, (c) 163 feet, or (d) 176 feet is correct.