Question

Shauntay used identical plastic bears to measure the length of a rope and found that the rope was 4 bears long. Next Shauntay will measure the length of 3 of these ropes using identical plastic giraffes. Shauntay knows that 2 bears are as long as 1 giraffe. How many giraffes long will these 3 ropes be?

Select one:
a. 3/8 of a giraffe, since 3 ropes are 3 : 4 = of a bear long and 3/4 of a bear is 3/4 : 2 = 3/8 of a giraffe long.
b. 1 1/2 giraffes, since 3 ropes are 3 : 4 = 3/4 of a bear long and 3/4 of a bear is 3/4 x 2 = 1 1/2 giraffes long.
c. 6 giraffes, since 3 ropes are 3 x 4 = 12 bears long and 12 bears are 12 : 2 = 6 giraffes long.
d. 24 giraffes, since 3 ropes are 3 x 4 = 12 bears long and 12 bears are 12 x 2 = 24 giraffes long
e. None of alternatives a-d are correct.

Answer 1

Shauntay's three ropes stretch six giraffes long! Each rope is four bears, and two bears equal one giraffe, so three times four yields twelve, but divide that by two, and you get the answer: six giraffe lengths for all three ropes.

Correct option is C

Here's the solution to Shauntay's giraffe counting conundrum:

Step 1: Calculate the total length of ropes in bear units.

Three ropes at 4 bears each equate to 3 ropes * 4 bears/rope = 12 bear units.

Step 2: Convert bear units to giraffe units.

Since 2 bears are the length of 1 giraffe, then 1 bear is ½ the length of a giraffe. Therefore, 12 bear units translate to 12 units * ½ giraffe/unit = 6 giraffe units.

Therefore, the 3 ropes are 6 giraffes long, making option (c) the correct answer.

Here's a breakdown of why the other options are incorrect:

(a) 3/8 of a giraffe: This incorrectly uses 3/4 bear as the starting point instead of the total length of 3 ropes.

(b) 1 1/2 giraffes: This correctly calculates the length of one rope (4 bears * ½ giraffe/bear = 2 giraffes) but multiplies it by 3 incorrectly.

(d) 24 giraffes: This double-counts the giraffe conversion, multiplying 12 bears by 2 twice.

Remember, when converting units, ensure you start with the correct initial quantity and apply the conversion factor consistently.