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A gardener planted 14 flats of flowers, filling 2/3 of a garden. How many flats would fill the whole garden?
A9 flats
B28 flats
C10 flats
D21 flats
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. 21 flats
1. Let g be the number of flats that fill the whole garden.
2. Two-thirds of the whole garden took 14 flats, so (2/3)g = 14.
3. Multiply both sides by the reciprocal 3/2: g = 14 x 3/2.
4. Multiply: 14 x 3 = 42 flats, then divide by 2: g = 21.
5. So 21 flats would fill the whole garden.
6. Check: 2/3 of 21 flats is 14 flats, matching what was planted.
7. 9 flats is the trap of taking 2/3 of 14, and 28 flats doubles 14 as if half the garden had been planted rather than two-thirds.
_Source: OpenStax Elementary Algebra (CC BY 4.0), Ch 2 "Solving Linear Equations and Inequalities", section 2.2 Solve Equations using the Division and Multiplication Properties of Equality_
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