Question

How many 5/8 inch binder clips, laid side by side, make a length of 11 1/4 inches?

Answer 1

18 binder clips

Explanation:

The question basically asks, how many 5/8 inch binder clips can you add to get 11 1/4 inches.

To get the answer, you simply divide 5/8 by 11 1/4.

To divide first convert 11 1/4 to an improper fraction. To get an improper fraction you multiply the denominator by the whole number and then add the numerator. Here it would be (11*4)+1= 45 so 11 1/4 as a mixed fraction would be 45/4.

Now you can divide.

`(45)/(4) / (5)/(8)`

To divide, use the chant, "keep, change, flip". Keep the 45/4, change the division to multiplication, and flip the 5/8.

You would get this:

`(45)/(4) *(8)/(5)`

There are multiple ways to solve now. You can just multiply the numerator and then the denominators to get 360/20 and simplify to get 18 OR you can cross multiply and change the 45 to 9 because 45/5 is 9 and change the 8 to 2 because 8/4 is 2 and then multiply 9 by 2 to also get 18.

I hope it helps!

Answer 2

18

Explanation:

make 11 1/4 into improper fraction > 45/4

multiply by 2 so it has same denominator > 90/8

90/8 divided by 5/8 = 18