I am having a hard time figuring out how to solve these fraction word problems.

For example: A patch of dirt needs 3 5/6 cubic yards (yd3) of concrete to cover it. If Nick decides to cover only 3/4 of the dirt . how much sod does he need.

How do I work this problem?
It has been 21 years since I have done fractions and I was ok with adding, subtracting them and multiplying them , until I got to the word problems.

The question requires more information. Is he covering the dirt with concrete or sod? Or 3/4 concrete and 1/4 sod?

The depth of the cover might not be the same in the two cases. Sod is usually purchased by the square yard.

I understand that fractions can be a bit challenging, especially when presented in word problems. Let's break down the steps to solve this particular problem:

Step 1: Determine the total amount of concrete needed.
In this case, the patch of dirt requires 3 5/6 cubic yards of concrete.

Step 2: Determine the amount Nick decides to cover.
Nick decides to cover only 3/4 of the dirt. To find out how much concrete Nick will use, we need to multiply the total amount of concrete (from Step 1) by the fraction representing the portion of the dirt Nick wants to cover (3/4).

To multiply a fraction, multiply the numerators (numbers on top) to get the new numerator, and multiply the denominators (numbers on bottom) to get the new denominator.

So, to find the amount of concrete Nick decides to use, multiply 3 5/6 by 3/4.

Step 3: Simplify the fraction, if needed.
After you multiply, you may get an improper fraction (when the numerator is larger than the denominator) or a mixed number (a whole number combined with a fraction). If you do, simplify it into a mixed number, as it makes it easier to work with and understand.

Step 4: Determine the amount of sod needed.
Since the question asks for the amount of sod needed, subtract the amount of concrete Nick decides to use from the total amount of concrete required. This will give you the amount of sod needed to cover the remaining portion of the dirt.

Now, let's apply these steps to the problem at hand:

Step 1: The total amount of concrete needed is 3 5/6 cubic yards.

Step 2: Multiply:
(3 5/6) * (3/4) = (23/6) * (3/4)
To multiply fractions, multiply the numerators: 23 * 3 = 69.
Then, multiply the denominators: 6 * 4 = 24.
So, (23/6) * (3/4) simplifies to 69/24.

Step 3: Simplify the fraction:
69/24 is an improper fraction. To simplify it, you can divide both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor (GCD).
In this case, the GCD of 69 and 24 is 3.
Dividing both numerator and denominator by 3 gives you:
69/24 = (69/3) / (24/3) = 23/8.

Step 4: Determine the amount of sod needed.
To find the amount of sod needed, subtract the amount of concrete Nick decides to use (23/8) from the total amount required (3 5/6).
Convert 3 5/6 to an improper fraction:
3 * 6 + 5 = 23/6.
Subtracting: (23/6) - (23/8) = (92/24) - (69/24) = 23/24.

Therefore, Nick needs 23/24 cubic yards of sod to cover the remaining portion of the dirt.