Problema Solution

Carmen is tying ribbons in bows on boxes. She uses 9/4 feet of ribbon on each box. if she has 15/2 feet of ribbon left, how many bows (or parts of bows) can she make?

Answer provided by our tutors

The way to do this problem is to divide. She needs 9/4 ft per box, and she has 15/2 feet left. 

SO, you have to do 15/2  divided by 9/4.

Using the good old "Leave change reciprocal" rule, you leave the 15/2, change the dividing to multiplying, and reciprocate, or flip, the 9/4.

Now it's 15/2    *    4/9 

That comes out to 30/9, or 3 and 1/3 ribbons. Since they want a whole number, she can make 3 ribbons.