A builder has to cover a nine-foot wall with panels that are three-fourths of a foot wide. How many panels will it take to cover the nine-foot wall?

• A. 10
• B. 12
• C. 14
• D. 16

Answer: (B)

To determine how many panels are needed to cover a nine-foot wall with panels that are three-fourths of a foot wide, we need to divide the total width of the wall by the width of each panel.

First, we convert the widths into a comparable format. The width of the wall is nine feet, while each panel is three-fourths of a foot wide. To find out how many panels are required, we can perform the calculation:

9 feet ÷ (3/4 foot)

When dividing by a fraction, we can multiply by its reciprocal. Therefore, this becomes:

9 feet × (4/3).

Now, carrying out the multiplication:

9 × 4 = 36

36 ÷ 3 = 12

Thus, it takes twelve panels to cover the nine-foot wall.

The correct answer is based on the accurate calculation of how many panels fit into the wall space. Other choices may suggest either too few or too many panels, indicating a misunderstanding of the division of whole numbers by fractions or not converting the measurements correctly.