# Thread: Rectangular swimming pool geometry problem

1. ## Rectangular swimming pool geometry problem

An oil spill causes 4.9 million barrels of crude oil to spill
One barrel of crude oil is equivalent to 42 gallons. If a gallon occupies .13368 cubic feet of volume, how many rectangular swimming pools (to the nearest whole pool), each 20 ft. by 30 ft. by 5 ft. could be filled with all the oil?

2. Originally Posted by Zachary123
An oil spill causes 4.9 million barrels of crude oil to spill
One barrel of crude oil is equivalent to 42 gallons. If a gallon occupies .13368 cubic feet of volume, how many rectangular swimming pools (to the nearest whole pool), each 20 ft. by 30 ft. by 5 ft. could be filled with all the oil?
1. You have to determine 2 volumes: The volume of the spilled oil in cubic feet $\left(V_o\right)$and the volume of one swimming pool in cubic feet $\left(V_p\right)$. Afterwards calculate the quotient $n=\lceil \dfrac{V_o}{V_p} \rceil$

2. Here is the order of calculations to get $V_o$:

$4.9 \cdot 10^6\ barrels \longrightarrow x \ gallons$

$x\ gallons \longrightarrow y\ cft$

3. Here is the order of calculations to get $V_p$:

$V_p = length \cdot width \cdot depth$ The dimension of $V_p$ is already in cft.