Vegetable garden

The four sides of a vegetable garden are 15 1/2 feet, 18 3/4 feet, 24 1/4 feet, and 30 1/2 feet. How many feet of fencing are needed to go around the garden? (write the answer as the whole number)

Correct answer:

o =  79 ft

Step-by-step explanation:

$$\begin{gathered} a=5\frac{1}{2}=\frac{11}{2}=5.5\text{ft} \\ b=18\frac{3}{4}=18+\frac{3}{4}=\frac{18\cdot 4+3}{4}=\frac{72+3}{4}=\frac{75}{4}=18.75\text{ft} \\ c=24\frac{1}{4}=24+\frac{1}{4}=\frac{24\cdot 4+1}{4}=\frac{96+1}{4}=\frac{97}{4}=24.25\text{ft} \\ d=30\frac{1}{2}=30+\frac{1}{2}=\frac{30\cdot 2+1}{2}=\frac{60+1}{2}=\frac{61}{2}=30.5\text{ft} \\ o=a+b+c+d=\frac{11}{2}+\frac{75}{4}+\frac{97}{4}+\frac{61}{2}=\frac{22}{4}+\frac{75}{4}+\frac{97}{4}+\frac{122}{4}=\frac{22+75+97+122}{4}=\frac{316}{4}=79\text{ft} \end{gathered}$$

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