Sports Math Class: find the number of baseballs in the trailer

[DanLeo]

Need help on a question found it very difficult myself...

A one-of-a-kind box trailer with 14 clear Plexiglass sides. Each of the panels weighs 300 pounds, and the trailer’s interior dimensions are 301.5” x 96.99” x 105.04”. For reference, the MLB baseballs that are inside measure 9 to 9.25 inches in circumference 2.86-2.94 in diameter and weights 5- 5.25 ounces . The trailer is adorned with Freight Line insignia, but the real magic is what is happening behind these two-inch thick clear walls. It is stuffed to the brim with 16 tons of baseballs. That’s right, this rig is only hauling the fun stuff. The ball-filled trailer weighs in at a whopping 47,000 pounds. How many baseballs were tossed in this unique trailer???

-Dan

 

[mmm4444bot]

… 14 clear plexiglass sides. Each of the panels weighs 300 pounds, and the trailer’s interior dimensions are 301.5” x 96.99” x 105.04”

Those dimensions represent a rectangular solid, which has six sides. Can you describe the other eight sides and their locations?

… the MLB baseballs that are inside measure 9 to 9.25 inches in circumference 2.86-2.94 in diameter

Were you thinking of averaging each of these sets?

What have you done or thought about, so far? :cool:

 

[stapel]

A one-of-a-kind box trailer with 14 clear Plexiglass sides. Each of the panels weighs 300 pounds, and the trailer’s interior dimensions are 301.5” x 96.99” x 105.04”. For reference, the MLB baseballs that are inside measure 9 to 9.25 inches in circumference 2.86-2.94 in diameter and weights 5- 5.25 ounces . The trailer is adorned with Freight Line insignia, but the real magic is what is happening behind these two-inch thick clear walls. It is stuffed to the brim with 16 tons of baseballs. That’s right, this rig is only hauling the fun stuff. The ball-filled trailer weighs in at a whopping 47,000 pounds. How many baseballs were tossed in this unique trailer???

I think all the info other than the per-ball weight and the total weight of the balls is irrelevant.

You are given that the total weight is 16 tons, or 32,000 pounds. You are given that the balls vary in weight from 5 ounces to 5.25 ounces; that is, from 0.3125 pounds to 0.328125 pounds.

To find the number of items with the given weight, given the total weight of all the items, just divide. (How you want to do that division is up to you, of course. You might do the division with 0.3125 and then 0.328125, to get a range for the number of balls. Or you might split the difference, assuming that the average weight is in the middle, at (5 + 5.25)/2 = 5.125 ounces, or 0.3203125 pounds.)

If you get stuck, please reply showing your thoughts and efforts so far. Thank you!