Basic Mathematics for College Students

108. MUSIC The illustration shows a side view of the
     finger position needed to produce a length of string
     (from the bridge to the fingertip) that gives low C on
     a violin. To play other notes, fractions of that length
     are used. Locate these finger positions on the
     illustration.
     a. of the length gives middle C.
     b. of the length gives F above low C.
     c. of the length gives G.


109. MEDICAL CENTERS Hospital designers have
     located a nurse’s station at the center of a circular
     building. Show how to divide the surrounding office
     space (shaded in grey) so that each medical
     department has the fractional amount assigned to it.
     Label each department.

: Radiology

: Pediatrics

: Laboratory

: Orthopedics

: Pharmacy

110. GDP The gross domestic product (GDP) is the
     official measure of the size of the U.S. economy. It
     represents the market value of all goods and services
     that have been bought during a given period of time.
     The GDP for the second quarter of 2008 is listed
     below. What is meant by the phrase second quarter of
     2008?

Source:The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2009

Second quarter of 2008 $14,294,500,000,000

Nurse’s

station

Medical Center

Office

space

1

12

3

12

1

12

5

12

2

12

Low C Bridge

2

3

3

4

1

2

111. Explain the concept of equivalent fractions. Give an
     example.


112. What does it mean for a fraction to be in simplest
     form? Give an example.


113. Why can’t we say that of the figure below is
     shaded?


114. Perhaps you have heard the following joke:
     A pizza parlor waitress asks a customer if he
     wants the pizza cut into four pieces or six pieces
     or eight pieces. The customer then declares that he
     wants either four or six pieces of pizza “because I
     can’t eat eight.”
     Explain what is wrong with the customer’s thinking.


115. a. What type of problem is shown below? Explain
     the solution.

b. What type of problem is shown below? Explain

the solution.

116. Explain the difference in the two approaches used to
     simplify Are the results the same?

and

117. PAYCHECKSGross payis what a worker makes
     before deductions and net payis what is left after
     taxes, health benefits, union dues, and other
     deductions are taken out. Suppose a worker’s
     monthly gross pay is $3,575. If deductions of $235,
     $782, $148, and $103 are taken out of his check, what
     is his monthly net pay?


118. HORSE RACING One day, a man bet on all eight
     horse races at Santa Anita Racetrack. He won $168
     on the first race and he won $105 on the fourth race.
     He lost his $50-bets on each of the other races.
     Overall, did he win or lose money betting on the
     horses? How much?

REVIEW

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WRITING

220 Chapter 3 Fractions and Mixed Numbers