Question

A team of runners is needed to run a `1/4`-mile relay race. If each runner must run `1/16` mile, how many runners will be needed?

Answer 1

A couple of runners will run 1/4 mile and each of them run only 1/16 mile.
The question is how many runners will be needed to run 1/4 if every runner can run only 1/16 mile.

Well, let the number of runners be x. Each of x will run 1/16 mile in order to achieve 1/4 mile. Accordingly, we can write an equation and solve it.

`1/16*x=1/4`

`x=(1/4)/(1/16)`
`x=16/4`
`x=4`

Answer 2

4 runners are needed.

Explanation:

When you are confronted with a question where the numbers are a bit uncomfortable, give yourself an example with easy numbers first.
Once you have worked out the method and correct calculations with the easy numbers, do the same with the numbers in the question.

The same question might have read.

"A team of runners is required to run a 10 mile race. If each runner is to run 2 miles, how many runners are needed.?"

We have no difficulty in seeing that `10 div2 = 5` runners are needed.

So now for the given question.

`1/4 div 1/16`

=`1/4 xx 16/1`

=`4` runners are needed.