Expert: Abe Mantell - 7/11/2008

Question
QUESTION: A square lot contains 54,756 square feet is to be enclosed by a close board fence 12 feet high.  The boards cost $13 per thousand.

Calculate cost of the fence.

Thanks for your assistance.

ANSWER: Hello,

The boards are $13 per thousand, and the boards are 12 ft tall, but
how wide/long are they?

Abe


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: That is the problem as stated.  

Calculate as $13 per thousand board feet.

Thanks again.

Answer
Hmm, $13 per THOUSAND board ft sounds rather unrealistic...perhaps it is
$13 per thousand square feet?  (which is also unrealistic...)

Since the lot is square, if the length of one side is x, that means
the area is x^2 ==> x^2=54,756 ==> x=234 ft, so the perimeter is
4*234 ft = 936 ft.  So the length of fence needed is 936 ft.
I gather the problem wants you to find the area of fence.  So multiply
936 ft by 12 ft (tall), to get 11,232 square feet.  Which is 11.232
thousand sq. ft.  If the cost is (only?) $13 per sq. ft, then the
total cost is 11.232 * $13 = $146.02