Question

You want to put a 5 inch thick layer of topsoil for a new 28 ft by 14 ft garden. The dirt store sells by the cubic yards. How many cubic yards will you need to order? The store only sells increments of 1/4 cubic yards.

Answer 1

Answer: SOLUTION -

Let’s convert first the unit dimension of the garden from inches-feet to yards.

HEIGHT: 4 in * (1 ft / 12 in) = 1/3 ft * (1 yard/3 ft) = 1/9 yard

WIDTH: 28 ft * (1 yard/3 ft) = 28/3 yards

LENGTH: 32 ft * (1 yard/3 ft) = 32/3 yards

Then, let’s get the total soil capacity or volume of the garden:

(32/3) * (28/3) * (1/9) = 896/81 = 11.06 cubic yards

Since we can’t buy 0.06 cubic yard of soil, we need to round off 11.06 to the next number of cubic yards that is exactly divisible by 1/4.

It will give us then with 11 & 1/4 cubic yards.

Explanation: