There are 10 rows of seats on the school bus. Each row has space for 5 students. How many students can ride the bus at one time?
The correct answer and explanation is:
The total number of students that can ride the bus is 50 students.
Explanation:
To find the total number of students that can fit on the bus, you need to multiply the number of rows of seats by the number of students each row can accommodate.
- Number of rows: The bus has 10 rows of seats.
- Seats per row: Each row has space for 5 students.
To calculate the total number of students, multiply the number of rows by the number of students per row: Total students=Number of rows×Seats per row=10×5=50\text{Total students} = \text{Number of rows} \times \text{Seats per row} = 10 \times 5 = 50
Thus, the bus can carry 50 students at a time.
This multiplication approach is a simple application of the concept of area. Just like finding the total area of a rectangle by multiplying its length and width, here you’re multiplying the number of rows (length) by the number of students per row (width) to find the total capacity of the bus.
This method works for any similar problem where you need to calculate the total capacity of an object or space, such as a classroom, a theater, or a parking lot. It’s important to consider the number of units (in this case, rows) and the number of items (students) that fit in each unit, then multiply them to get the total capacity.