# Math Help - What am I supposed to do here?

1. ## What am I supposed to do here?

What steps do I take to finding the answer to this question?

Two facilities process an average of 15 million pounds of aluminum each month. How many pounds of aluminum do the Ohio smelting plants average per week?

2. First, clarify the question. Does it mean:

a) two facilities ... each month each, or in total?

b) If it's "each", then no problem, 15 million a month is 15 million divided by number of weeks in a month to get the number per week.

c) If it's "in total" then you have to make the assumption that the processing power of each one is equal to that of the other. Otherwise you don't know where to start. If they do have equal processing power, then divide the answer in (b) above by two.

d) You have to assume that the "Ohio smelting plants" is one of those "facilities" that's being talked about.

Is this the complete question? If so, then the book you got it out of is rubbish. Wipe yourself with it. If not, and it's been set by the teacher, reboot it.

3. It means total. Both plants produce 15 million pounds of aluminum each month in total.

4. So it's what I said in (c) below, i.e. the answer as described in (b) divided by 2.

What steps do I take to finding the answer to this question?

Two facilities process an average of 15 million pounds of aluminum each month. How many pounds of aluminum do the Ohio smelting plants average per week?
$15$ million pounds per month

........... $= 15 \times 12$ million pounds per year

........... $=\frac{15 \times 12}{365.25}$ million pounds per day

........... $=\frac{15 \times 12}{365.25}\times 7$ million pounds per week

RonL

6. So, I multiply 7 and 15 times 12?

So, I multiply 7 and 15 times 12?
Yes, then divide by $365.25$.

EDIT: This will give the aluminium (in million pound) produced by the two facilities combined. If Ohio smelting is one facility and you are asked to find the amount produced by itself, then assume that that the facilities produce equal and divide the answer by two.

8. Ok, I got 2.02916666667. Is that correct?

Ok, I got 2.02916666667. Is that correct?
I got:

In combined, they make:
$\frac{1680}{487} \approx 3.45$ Million pound per week

By one company (provided they make equal) they make:
$\frac{840}{487} \approx 1.72$ Million pound per week

You must have make calculation errors. Try it on your calculator again.

10. I multiplied 15 and 12, which is 180, and then divided it into 365.25. I must have read you wrong.

I multiplied 15 and 12, which is 180, and then divided it into 365.25. I must have read you wrong.
$\frac{15\times12}{365.24}$ will get you the aluminium (in million pound) produced by the two facilities combined per day.

But as there are 7 days in a week, you will need to multiply $\frac{15\times12}{365.24}$ by $7$.

So, you will need to do: $(7 \times 15 \times 12) \div 365.24$.

12. I keep coming up with decimal answers. Not the answers that you have.

I keep coming up with decimal answers. Not the answers that you have.