Calculating the Time to Mow Multiple Lawns: A Case Study with Pete
Let's dive into a practical scenario involving Pete, who is a professional lawn mower. We'll determine how long it would take Pete to mow 7 lawns based on his known work rate.
Understanding the Given Information
Pete mows 1/5 of a lawn in 15 minutes. This information gives us a starting point to calculate his full work rate and extend it to mowing 7 complete lawns.
Step-by-Step Calculation
Step 1: Determine the Time to Mow One Lawn
If Pete mows 1/5 of a lawn in 15 minutes, we can deduce the time it takes to mow one whole lawn by multiplying 15 minutes by 5:
Time for 1 lawn 15 minutes × 5 75 minutes
Step 2: Calculate the Time to Mow 7 Lawns
Since it takes Pete 75 minutes to mow one lawn, we can then determine the time required to mow 7 lawns by multiplying 75 minutes by 7:
Time for 7 lawns 75 minutes × 7 525 minutes
Step 3: Convert Minutes to Hours
Finally, to express the total time in a more understandable format, we convert 525 minutes into hours:
Hours 525 minutes ÷ 60 8.75 hours
This can also be broken down into 8 hours and 45 minutes (since 0.75 hours 45 minutes).
Summary of the Calculation
Based on the given parameters, it would take Pete 8.75 hours or 8 hours and 45 minutes to mow 7 lawns. This calculation assumes that all lawns are of the same size and that Pete maintains a consistent work pace without any interruptions.
Further Considerations
It's important to note that in real-world scenarios, additional factors such as lawn size consistency, travel time, and potential delays could affect the total mowing time. However, for the sake of this problem, we assume that all lawns are identical and there are no interruptions.
Conclusion
Through careful step-by-step calculation, we have determined that Pete would need 8.75 hours, or 8 hours and 45 minutes, to mow 7 lawns. This calculation demonstrates the importance of understanding and applying basic mathematical principles in real-world scenarios.
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