College

Eli dug a trench [tex]$\frac{18}{20}$[/tex] of a meter long. The next day he dug another [tex]$\frac{17}{20}$[/tex] of a meter. What is a reasonable estimate of the total length of the trench?

A. [tex]$\frac{1}{2}$[/tex] meter
B. 1 meter
C. [tex]$1 \frac{1}{2}$[/tex] meters
D. 2 meters

Answer :

To determine a reasonable estimate for the total length of the trench Eli dug over two days, let's analyze the situation step-by-step:

1. Length Dug on Each Day:
- On the first day, Eli dug a trench that was [tex]\(\frac{18}{20}\)[/tex] of a meter, which is equivalent to 0.9 meters.
- On the second day, he dug [tex]\(\frac{17}{20}\)[/tex] of a meter, equivalent to 0.85 meters.

2. Total Length of the Trench:
- To find the total length, we simply add the lengths from both days together:
[tex]\[
0.9 \, \text{meters} + 0.85 \, \text{meters} = 1.75 \, \text{meters}.
\][/tex]

3. Estimating the Total Length:
- When we look at the total length, which is 1.75 meters, we need to choose an estimate that is closest to this value from the given options.
- The options provided are [tex]\(\frac{1}{2}\)[/tex] meter, 1 meter, [tex]\(1 \frac{1}{2}\)[/tex] meters, and 2 meters.
- Since 1.75 meters is closest to 2 meters among the options, the most reasonable estimate of the total length of the trench is 2 meters.

Therefore, the best estimate for the total length of the trench Eli dug is 2 meters.