Rudi bought 12.25 yards of fabric to make 7 pillows, all the same size. How many yards of fabric does Rudi have for each pillow?
Rudi has a total of \(12.25\) yards of fabric and intends to make \(7\) pillows of equal size. To determine the amount of fabric used for each individual pillow, we need to divide the total length of the fabric by the total number of pillows. We define the amount of fabric for each pillow as \(f\), which is given by the equation:
\[f = \frac{12.25}{7}\]
To find the value of \(f\), we perform the division of \(12.25\) by \(7\). First, note that \(12.25 = \frac{1225}{100}\). Therefore:
\[f = \frac{12.25}{7} = \frac{1225}{100 \times 7}\]
Dividing \(1225\) by \(7\):
\(1225 \div 7 = 175\)
Thus,
\[f = \frac{175}{100} = 1.75\]
Each pillow will require \(1.75\) yards of fabric.
Understanding how to divide total quantities into equal parts is fundamental in many daily activities, such as cooking, sewing, or resource management. For instance, if you have a certain amount of ingredients for a recipe and need to scale it for a specific number of portions, you use division to ensure each portion is consistent. Mastering these basic arithmetic operations allows for better planning and precise execution in projects like crafting or budgeting.