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Wood Products Technical Salesperson

Real-Life Activities

Real-Life Math -- Solution

First you'll need to calculate how much of each product is required.

The Joists

The house is 96 feet long and the joists are 16 inches apart. To determine how many lengths of joists are needed, you must divide 96 feet by 16 inches. The easiest way is to convert the feet into inches:

96 feet x 12 inches per foot = 1,152 inches

Now you can divide the length of the house by 16:

1,152 / 16 = 72

You'll need 72 joists plus one for the end for the house for a total of 73.

Each joist costs $1.25 per linear foot, so now you need to figure out how many feet of joists you have.

To figure that out, multiply the number of joists (73) by the length of each one (27 feet or the width of the house).

73 x 27 = 1,971 feet

Now calculate the cost at $1.25 per foot:

1,971 feet x $1.25 per foot = $2,463.75

The joists will cost $2,463.75.

The Trusses

The engineered trusses are 24 inches or 2 feet apart. The trusses are 1 foot longer all the way around the house than the actual floor area. So, instead of 96 feet x 27 feet, you'll need to calculate the truss lengths based on a measurement of 96 x 29 feet.

96 feet x 12 inches per foot = 1,152 inches

Now you can divide the length of the house by 24:

1,152 / 24 = 48

You'll need 48 trusses plus one for the end for the house for a total of 49.

Each joist costs $1.50 per linear foot, so now you need to figure out how many feet of trusses you have.

To figure that out, multiply the number of trusses (73) by the length of each one (29 feet or the width of the house plus a foot overhang on each end).

73 x 29 = 2,117 feet

Now calculate the cost at $1.50 per foot:

2,117 ft x $1.50 per foot = $3,175.50

The trusses will cost $3,175.50.

The Laminated Beams

Since you need 2 beams, all you need to do is add the 2 lengths together:

13 feet + 20 feet = 33 feet

33 feet x $3.40 = $112.20

The laminated beams will cost $112.20.

To determine your customer's total quote, it's as simple as adding the three totals of the 3 materials together:

$2,463.75 + $3,175.50 + $112.20 = $5,751.45

You give your customer a quote for $5,751.45 -- not including taxes, of course!