Question

A box of frozen vegetables weighing 144 kg and 750 g was delivered at a grocery store. If the box contained 15 smaller boxes of vegetables all of the same weight, what was the mass of each of the smaller boxes in kg?

• A. 9.65 kg
• B. 9.6 kg

Answer 1

The correct option is A 9.65 kg

Weight of the bigger box
= 144 kg 750 g

To convert them into same unit, let's convert grams into kilograms.

We know, 1,000 g = 1 kg
$\Rightarrow 1\text{g}=\frac{1}{1000}\text{kg}\Rightarrow 750\text{g}=\frac{750}{1000}\text{kg}=0.75\text{kg}$

$\therefore$ Weight of the bigger box
= 144 kg + 0.75 kg
= 144.75 kg

Number of smaller boxes = 15
$\therefore$ Weight of a smaller box
= $\frac{\text{Total weight}}{\text{Number of smaller boxes}}$
= $\frac{144.75\text{kg}}{15}$

Let's long divide 144.75 by 15.
$\therefore \frac{144.75}{15}$ kg = $9.65$ kg

Hence, the mass of each smaller vegetable box is 9.65 kg.

Alternate approach

To divide 144.75 by 15, let's first consider the division of 14475 by 15.

By long division, we get $\frac{14475}{15}=965.0$

Now, as the decimal point of $144.75$ is in the left of last two digits, the decimal point of the quotient should be shifted leftward by two places, i.e., $9.65$.

$\therefore \frac{144.75}{15}$ kg = $9.65$ kg