Challenging Sample Problem
Step 5


Step 5

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The problem

The Berliner Lecture Room (PSB 180) at Bryn Mawr College is approximately 42.8 feet long by 26.3 feet wide by 11.6 feet tall. This room is filled with cubic blocks. Each block is 0.75 cm/side and has a mass of 15 grams. The room is filled with blocks. What would be the total mass of the blocks required to fill the room (assume partial blocks may be obtained).

You may be thinking...

  1. Enter the dimensions on your calculator. Multiply by the cube of the conversion factor. The result is 3.70x108 cm3 for the volume of the room.
  2. Now divide this number by the volume of one block to find the number of blocks needed. This result is 8.8x108 blocks.
  3. Finally, multiply by the mass of one block. The final answer is 1.3x1010 g .



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