Question

Question #7c8a4

Answer 1

`23"ft"^3`

Explanation:

If Valerie has a calculator, she can just calculate that `sqrt(500) ~~ 22.36`, and order the least whole number greater than that, meaning she should order `23"ft"^3` of cement.

If Valerie does not have a calculator, she can work out some squares of whole numbers to find out that

`22^2 = 484 < 500 < 529 = 23^2`

As `22^2 < 500 < 23^2`, that means `22 < sqrt(500) < 23`. Thus, without calculating the actual value of `sqrt(500)`, she can still tell that `23` is the least whole number which is greater than `sqrt(500)`, and then order `23"ft"^3` of cement.