Distance - Miles

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Railroad ties are placed 18 inches apart from center to center. A total of 54,320 ties are used. Determine distance in miles the ties will cover.

What is known:

Railroad ties are placed 18 inches apart from center to center.

54,320 ties are used.

Want to know:

Distance (in miles) the ties will cover.

Check my solution:

18 inches = 1.5 feet

1 mile = 5280 feet

54320 / 1.5 = 36213.333 feet = 6.858522 = 7 miles

54320 / .75 (center of tie) = 75426.66 feet = 13.717 = 14 miles

Where did I miscalculate ?

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Type: Question • Score: 0 • Views: 1,144 • Replies: 9

[+3] - bobsal u1553115 - 02/22/2015Multiply number of ties times the 1.5 and add one more 1.5. Trust me.

@Randy Dandy,

Ties 1.5 feet OC, therefore.
54320 X 1.5 feet = 81480 feet
81480 feet / 5280 feet per mile = 15.43181818181818 miles

What possessed you to divide by 1.5?

2 Replies

@neologist,

I guess I was trying to calculate total distance apart.

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@neologist,

Quote:

What possessed you to divide by 1.5?

I would guess the fact that 18 inches = 1.5 feet.

1 Reply

Multiply number of ties times the 1.5 and add one more 1.5. Trust me.

2 Replies

@bobsal u1553115,

bobsal u1553115 wrote:

Multiply number of ties times the 1.5 and add one more 1.5.

Yes.

0 Replies

I wonder what cowardly fool voted down Bobsal's post. Probably someone who had not read the original question properly.

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@bobsal u1553115,

Works if a 1.5 space on each end. But if each end must have a tie, you would subtract the 1.5.
Doesn't affect mileage all that much, though. Just round it off.

Distance - Miles

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