To find out how many linear meters of timber you need to buy, follow these steps:

1. Calculate the Area to be Covered:

• The area of the rectangular surface is given by: $\text{Area} = \text{length} \times \text{width} = 3 \, \text{m} \times 6 \, \text{m} = 18 \, \text{m}^2$

2. Convert the Timber Width to Meters:

• The width of the timber is 150 mm, which can be converted to meters: $150 \, \text{mm} = 150 \, \text{mm} \times \frac{1 \, \text{m}}{1000 \, \text{mm}} = 0.15 \, \text{m}$

3. Determine the Linear Meters Required:

• Each linear meter of timber will cover a strip that is 1 meter long and 0.15 meters wide, so the area covered by one linear meter of timber is: $\text{Area per linear meter} = 1 \, \text{m} \times 0.15 \, \text{m} = 0.15 \, \text{m}^2$
• To cover the total area of 18 m², you need: $\text{Total linear meters} = \frac{\text{Total area}}{\text{Area per linear meter}} = \frac{18 \, \text{m}^2}{0.15 \, \text{m}^2/\text{linear meter}} = 120 \, \text{linear meters}$

4. Conclusion:

• You would need to buy 120 linear meters of timber to cover the rectangular area of 3 meters by 6 meters.

Would you like further details or any questions answered?

Here are 5 related questions you might consider:

1. How does the thickness of the timber affect the total number of linear meters required?
2. What is the cost if the price of timber per linear meter is known?
3. How would the calculation change if the timber were cut into shorter lengths?
4. What would be the required linear meters if the timber was laid out diagonally?
5. How do you account for wastage when purchasing timber?

Tip: When purchasing materials, it's often a good idea to buy slightly more than calculated to account for any wastage or errors during cutting.