Question

You want to put a 3 inch thick layer of topsoil for a new 15 ft by 26 ft garden. The dirt store sells by the cubic yards. How many cubic yards will you need to order? The store only sells in increments of 1/4 cubic yards.

Answer 1

You will need to order 3.75 cubic yards of topsoil.

Explanation:

Since you want to put a 3 inch thick layer of topsoil for a new 15 ft by 26 ft garden, and the dirt store sells by the cubic yards, to determine how many cubic yards will you need to order given that the store only sells in increments of 1/4 cubic yards, the following calculation should be performed:

3 inches = 0.25 feet

15 x 26 = 390 x 0.25 = 97.5

1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet

97.5 cubic feet = 3.61 cubic yards

3.75 = 1/4 x 15

Therefore, you will need to order 3.75 cubic yards of topsoil.