Question

Erica had `3 1/2` yards of fabric and she used `2/3` of the piece. How much fabric she is now left with?

Answer 1

Erica has left with `1` yard and `6` inches of fabric.

Explanation:

When one uses `2/3` of a whole piece, what one does is divide the whole in to `3` pieces and use `2` of them.

Hence what is left is `1` piece out of `3`, which are equivalent to `1/3`.

Now Erica had `3 1/2` yards of fabric i.e. `7/2` yards, so what is left is

`7/2xx1/3=7/6=1 1/6` yards. As a yard has `36` inches, it is `1` yard and `1/6xx36=6` inches.

Hence, Erica has left with `1` yard and `6` inches of fabric.