Final answer:
To surround the circular patio with a diameter of 18 feet, Sam would need 13 strands of rope lights that come in lengths of 54 inches.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find out how many strands of rope lights Sam needs to surround the circular patio, we need to calculate the circumference of the patio and divide it by the length of one strand of lights.
The formula for the circumference of a circle is C = πd, where C is the circumference and d is the diameter.
In this case, the diameter is given as 18 feet, so the circumference is:
C = π x 18
= 56.54867 feet.
Since the lights come in lengths of 54 inches, we need to convert the circumference to inches by multiplying by
12: 56.54867 x 12
= 678.58404 inches.
Finally, we divide the length of the lights by the circumference to determine the number of strands needed:
678.58404 ÷ 54
= 12.57237 strands.
Since we can't have a fraction of a strand, Sam would need 13 strands of lights to surround the patio edge.