Convert 140 feet 9 inches to decimal feet.

Convert 140 feet 9 inches to decimal feet.

• A. 140.75
• B. 140.09
• C. 140.9
• D. 140.50

Answer: (A)

In this kind of problem you convert inches into a fraction of a foot, since 1 foot equals 12 inches. Take the inches part and divide by 12 to get the decimal feet, then add to the whole feet. Here, 9 inches is 9/12 of a foot, which simplifies to 3/4 of a foot, or 0.75 feet. Add that to the 140 feet: 140 + 0.75 = 140.75 feet. So the decimal feet value is 140.75. If you tried interpreting the inches as 0.09, 0.9, or 0.50 of a foot, you’d be representing different amounts of inches (not 9 inches), which is why those options don’t fit.

In this kind of problem you convert inches into a fraction of a foot, since 1 foot equals 12 inches. Take the inches part and divide by 12 to get the decimal feet, then add to the whole feet.

Here, 9 inches is 9/12 of a foot, which simplifies to 3/4 of a foot, or 0.75 feet. Add that to the 140 feet: 140 + 0.75 = 140.75 feet.

So the decimal feet value is 140.75. If you tried interpreting the inches as 0.09, 0.9, or 0.50 of a foot, you’d be representing different amounts of inches (not 9 inches), which is why those options don’t fit.