Math Snap

STEP 1

Assumptions1. The thickness of each bat of insulation is $3 \frac{1}{}$ inches. We are installing5 layers of batting3. The thickness of the batting layers adds up linearly, i.e., the total thickness is the sum of the individual thicknesses

STEP 2

First, we need to convert the mixed fraction to an improper fraction to make the calculation easier.$$\frac{1}{2} = \frac{7}{2}$$

STEP 3

Now, we need to find the total thickness of the5 layers of batting. We can do this by multiplying the thickness of one layer by the number of layers.
$$Total\, thickness = Thickness\, of\, one\, layer \\times Number\, of\, layers$$

STEP 4

Plug in the given values for the thickness of one layer and the number of layers to calculate the total thickness.
$$Total\, thickness = \frac{7}{2} \, inches \\times$$

STEP 5

Calculate the total thickness.
$$Total\, thickness = \frac{7}{2} \, inches \\times5 = \frac{35}{2} \, inches$$

Convert the improper fraction back to a mixed number to get the final answer.
$$\frac{35}{2} =17 \frac{1}{2}$$So, you need a clearance of $17 \frac{1}{2}$ inches to install5 layers of batting.