Feet and Miles

Date: 02/28/2001 at 18:30:36
From: Courtney
Subject: Customary length

I need some help on problems like 10,560 ft. = ___ miles. Also, I 
don't know how much a mile is in yards, feet, and inches. I need major 
help.

Date: 02/28/2001 at 23:07:32
From: Doctor Peterson
Subject: Re: Customary length

Hi, Courtney.

Just remember one fact about miles: a mile is 5280 feet.

Now suppose you have 10,560 feet. Picture that as 10,560 foot rulers. 
If you can get 5280 of them together in one stack, that will be a 
mile. How many of these stacks can you make? You divide, and get ...

Similarly, suppose you want to know how many yards there are in a 
mile. You have 5280 rulers in a stack. For every three of these you 
can put together, you will have a yard. So how many groups of three 
can you make out of those 5280? 

Again, you divide, this time 5280 by 3.

Finally, how can you find the number of inches in a mile? Again, we 
start with those 5280 rulers. This time we chop each one into twelve 
pieces, each an inch long. How many will you have? Every ruler is 
replaced by twelve pieces, so there are 12 times 5280 inches in a 
mile.

If you need more help, write back and show me a problem you have 
trouble with, together with your work, so I can see where you need 
help.

- Doctor Peterson, The Math Forum
  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/