I am a math idiot. Can someone please help me with this before I blow a fuse?

AlanSmith

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Jun 21, 2017
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The best grade I ever received in math was 14% - and I cheated!

I am trying to build a trellis gate. The inside measurements are 28.25 by 35"
which I want to break up into squares - more or less 7" x 7". The problem is that
the material I will be using to create the verticals and horizontals is 1.5" wide.
Even I can figure out that I'll have 4 across and roughly 5 down but I do not know
how to compensate for the width of the verticals and horizontals!

So far I have wasted a small forest in paper and am still no nearer a solution.
I'm sure I am not the only math-idiot woodworker who has wrestled with this.

Thank you.
 
I am trying to build a trellis gate. The inside measurements are 28.25 by 35" which I want to break up into squares - more or less 7" x 7". The problem is that the material I will be using to create the verticals and horizontals is 1.5" wide. Even I can figure out that I'll have 4 across and roughly 5 down but I do not know how to compensate for the width of the verticals and horizontals!

So far I have wasted a small forest in paper and am still no nearer a solution.
"Compensate" how? For what? What, exactly, are you attempting to "solve"?

When you reply, please include the full and exact text of the original exercise, the complete instructions, any addition information (such as a graphic), and a clear listing of your thoughts and efforts so far, so we can see where things are going sideways.

Thank you! ;)
 
And please eliminate such language as this:

more or less 7" x 7"

roughly 5 down

Please be more precise.
 
I am trying to build a trellis gate. The inside measurements are 28.25 by 35"
which I want to break up into squares - more or less 7" x 7".
If I have misinterpreted anything, kindly upload a diagram.

The inside area of the gate is 28.25" wide and 35" high.

Four 1.5-inch vertical strips divide the area into five spaces, horizontally (i.e., the gaps between the strips).

Five 1.5-inch horizontal strips divide the area into six spaces, vertically.

We can calculate the gap measurements as follows.

(28.25 - 4×1.5) ÷ 5 = 4.45

(35 - 5×1.5) ÷ 6 = 4.58 (rounded)

Looks like the square holes in the trellis will measure roughly 4.5" by 4.5" (with a little fudging, for aesthetics).

Draw it all out on butcher paper, before creating sawdust. :cool:
 
If you use three vertical strips and four horizontal strips, instead, the holes will be closer to 6" by 6".

(28.25 - 3×1.5) ÷ 4 = 5.94 (rounded)


(35 - 4×1.5) ÷ 5 = 5.80
 
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