Page 410 - Basic College Mathematics with Early Integers

S E C T I O N 5.4 I LENGTH: U.S. AND METRIC SYSTEMS OF MEASUREMENT 387

Thus, 8 ft = 96 in., as shown in the diagram:

8 feet 96 inches
1 foot 1 foot 1 foot 1 foot 1 foot 1 foot 1 foot 1 foot

12 in. 12 in. 12 in. 12 in. 12 in. 12 in. 12 in. 12 in.

Work Practice 1

Example 2 Convert 7 feet to yards. PRACTICE 2
Convert 8 yards to feet.
Solution: We multiply by a unit fraction that compares 1 yard to 3 feet.
7 ft
7 ft = # 1
1
7 ft 1 yd ; Units to convert to
= #
1 3 ft ; Original units
7
= yd
3 When converting
1 from one unit to another,
= 2 yd Divide.
3 select a unit fraction with the
properties below:
1 units you are converting to
Thus, 7 ft = 2 yd, as shown in the diagram.
3 original units
7 feet 2a yards By using this unit fraction,
1 foot 1 foot 1 foot 1 foot 1 foot 1 foot 1 foot the original units will divide
out, as wanted.

1 yard 1 yard a yard
Work Practice 2

Example 3 Finding the Length of a Pelican’s Bill PRACTICE 3
Suppose the pelican’s bill
The Australian pelican has the longest bill, measuring from 13 to 18.5 inches long.
(in the photo) measures
The pelican in the photo has a 15-inch bill. Convert 15 inches to feet, using deci-
18 inches. Convert 18 inches
mals in your final answer.
to feet, using decimals.
Solution:
1 ft ; Units to convert to
15 in.
15 in. = #
1 12 in. ; Original units
15
= ft
12
5 15
= ft Simplify .
4 12
= 1.25 ft Divide.
Thus, 15 in. = 1.25 ft, as shown in the diagram.
15 inches 1.25 ft

1 ft
~ or 0.25 ft Answers
Work Practice 3 2. 24 ft 3. 1.5 ft