So I just wanna see if I got this one correct my question is.... Each volume of an encyclopedia is 2 1/3 inches wide. How many volumes will fit on a shelf 18 inches wide?

Answer :

namely how many times does 2 and 1/3 go into 18, well, is just the quotient of both,

let's first convert the mixed fraction to "improper" and then do the division

[tex]\bf \stackrel{mixed}{2\frac{1}{3}}\implies \cfrac{2\cdot 3+1}{3}\implies \stackrel{improper}{\cfrac{7}{3}} \\\\\\ \cfrac{18}{\quad\frac{7}{3} \quad }\implies \cfrac{\frac{18}{1}}{\quad\frac{7}{3} \quad }\implies \cfrac{18}{1}\cdot \cfrac{3}{7}\implies \cfrac{54}{7}\implies 7\frac{5}{7}[/tex]

of course, you won't be chopping off a volume, so only the whole number will go from the quotient.

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