Question

Maria placed a rain gauge in her yard to measure the amount of rain that fell during the school week. She checked the rain gauge every day and found that 1/4 of an inch fell every day for 3 days. On the fourth day, there was no change. On the fifth day, the amount of rain in the rain gauge had decreased by 1/8 of an inch. How much rain, in inches, was in Maria’s rain gauge on the fifth day?

Answer 1

Answer:

Amount of rain in Maria’s rain gauge on fifth day was 5/8 inch.

Solution:

Given that Maria placed a rain gauge in her yard to measure amount of rain.

She checked the rain gauge everyday.

1/4 of an inch fell every day

So amount of rain in the rain gauge after 3 days = $\frac{1}{4} \times 3 = \frac{3}{4} inch$

There was no change in fourth day

So amount of rain in the rain gauge after 4 days = 3/4 inch

On fifth day, amount of rain gauge decreased by 1/8 inch  

So gauge reading after decrease of 1/8 on fifth day = gauge reading on 4th day – 1/8

$= \frac{3}{4} - \frac{1}{8}$

$= \frac{(6-1)}{8} = \frac{5}{8}$

Hence amount of rain in Maria’s rain gauge on fifth day was 5/8 inch.