Final answer:
The ratio of square feet to gallons of paint for Alex's apartment painting project is 240 square feet per gallon.
Step-by-step explanation:
Step 1: Setting Up the Calculation
We are given that Alex bought 6 gallons of paint to cover 1440 ft² of his apartment. We need to find the ratio of square feet to gallons of paint.
Step 2: Ratio Definition
A ratio is a comparison of two quantities by division. We can write it as "a : b", where "a" is the first quantity and "b" is the second quantity.
Step 3: Translating the Problem into a Calculation
In this case, the first quantity is the number of square feet (1440 ft²) and the second quantity is the number of gallons of paint (6 gallons).
Step 4: Applying the Ratio Formula
To find the ratio of square feet to gallons of paint, we use the following formula:
Ratio = Square Feet / Gallons of paint
Step 5: Performing the Calculation
Substituting the given values, we get:
Ratio = 1440 ft² / 6 gallons
Ratio = 240 ft² per gallon
Step 6: Interpretation
Therefore, the ratio of square feet to gallons of paint is 240 : 1. This means that for every 1 gallon of paint, Alex can cover 240 square feet of his apartment.