To find the total length of 2-inch by 4-inch material required to make six bench legs, each 30 1/4 inches long, you can follow these steps:

1. Convert the mixed fraction to an improper fraction or decimal: $30 \frac{1}{4} = 30 + \frac{1}{4} = 30.25 \text{ inches}$

2. Calculate the total length for one leg: Since each leg is 30.25 inches long, the total length for one leg is simply 30.25 inches.

3. Multiply by the number of legs: There are six legs, so multiply the length of one leg by 6: $\text{Total length} = 30.25 \times 6 = 181.5 \text{ inches}$

4. Convert the total length to feet (if needed): Since the material is often measured in feet, you might want to convert inches to feet. There are 12 inches in a foot: $\text{Total length in feet} = \frac{181.5}{12} \approx 15.125 \text{ feet}$

Answer: You will need 181.5 inches, or approximately 15.125 feet, of 2-in. by 4-in. material to make the six bench legs.

Would you like more details or have any questions?

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Here are 5 related questions for further exploration:

1. How would the total length change if you needed to make eight bench legs instead of six?
2. If the material comes in 8-foot lengths, how many pieces would you need to purchase?
3. How would you calculate the required length if the bench legs were of different lengths?
4. What is the area of one face of a 2-in. by 4-in. piece of material?
5. How much extra material should you purchase to account for waste or cutting errors?

Tip: When working with mixed fractions, converting them to improper fractions or decimals makes calculations easier.