Phyllis needs 7 5/8 yards of 42-inch wide fabric to make curtains. If
the fabric costs $11.95 per yard, what will the total cost be?
a. $91.12
b. $501.90
c. $90.58
d. $18.62
First, we need to convert 7 5/8 yards to a mixed number or an improper fraction.
To convert to a mixed number:
- Multiply the whole number (7) by the denominator of the fraction (8): 7 x 8 = 56
- Add the numerator (5) to the product: 56 + 5 = 61
- Write the sum over the original denominator: 61/8
- The mixed number is 7 5/8.
To convert to an improper fraction:
- Multiply the whole number (7) by the denominator of the fraction (8): 7 x 8 = 56
- Add the numerator (5) to the product: 56 + 5 = 61
- Write the sum as the numerator of a fraction with the original denominator: 61/8.
Now we can calculate the total cost:
- The total yards of fabric needed is 7 5/8 or 61/8 yards.
- The cost per yard is $11.95.
- Multiply the total yards by the cost per yard: (61/8) x ($11.95) = $90.5875.
Rounding to the nearest cent, the total cost of the fabric will be $90.58 (option c).