Real-Life Math -- Solution
How much fertilizer will you need?
A 1,500 square yard golf course - 150 square yard sand and pond area = 1,350 square yards of lawn
3/4 of a gallon = 75 percent of a gallon
1,350 x 0.75 = 1,012.5
You'll need 1,012.5 gallons of fertilizer for the golf course.
"Anyone without good math skills in this business is dead in the water," says Edmond Marrotte, a consumer horticulturist at the University of Connecticut.
"Math skills are important for figuring areas when applying fertilizers, pesticides and limestone and when mixing pesticides to get the right strength. Too much and you harm the crop or environment. Too little, you do not get the results you would expect," he explains.
"Math skills are also necessary if you want to make a profit in the business. You have to know what it costs to produce each item and how much you must charge to cover all costs to make a profit."