How many golf balls will fit in a 16′ x 18 x 10′ room. The volume of a golf ball is 2.5 cubic
inches?
A. 4,976,640 golf balls
B. 100 golf balls
C. 1,990,656 golf balls
D. 13824 golf balls
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To determine how many golf balls will fit in a 16′ x 18′ x 10′ room, we need to calculate the room’s volume, then divide by the volume of a single golf ball.
Step 1: Calculate the Volume of the Room
The room dimensions are given in feet. First, we calculate the room’s volume in cubic feet and then convert it to cubic inches (since the golf ball’s volume is given in cubic inches).
- Calculate the room volume in cubic feet:
[
\text{Volume of Room} = 16 \text{ ft} \times 18 \text{ ft} \times 10 \text{ ft} = 2880 \text{ cubic feet}
] - Convert the room’s volume to cubic inches:
There are ( 12 ) inches in a foot, so ( 1 ) cubic foot is equal to ( 12^3 = 1728 ) cubic inches.
[
\text{Volume of Room in cubic inches} = 2880 \text{ cubic feet} \times 1728 \text{ cubic inches per cubic foot} = 4,976,640 \text{ cubic inches}
]
Step 2: Divide by the Volume of a Golf Ball
The volume of a single golf ball is ( 2.5 ) cubic inches.
[
\text{Number of Golf Balls} = \frac{\text{Volume of Room in cubic inches}}{\text{Volume of one golf ball in cubic inches}} = \frac{4,976,640}{2.5} = 1,990,656
]
Conclusion
The correct answer is:
C. 1,990,656 golf balls
Explanation
This calculation demonstrates a common volumetric estimation problem, useful in engineering and logistics. The solution involves converting all units to be consistent, calculating the total volume of the space, and then dividing by the volume of the object being fitted into that space. Although this result assumes perfect packing without any gaps, real-world factors like irregular stacking or gaps would reduce the total number of golf balls that could actually fit.