How many truckloads of gravel will be needed to cover 1.8 miles of roadbed, 34 feet wide to a depth of 3.3 inches, if one truckload contains 7.4 cubic yards of gravel?

To determine how many truckloads of gravel are needed, we'll first calculate the total volume of gravel required in cubic yards, then divide by the volume that a single truckload can carry.

### Step 1: Convert all measurements to consistent units
- The road length is given in **miles**, but we'll need to convert it to **feet** for consistency.
  \[
1 \text{ mile} = 5280 \text{ feet}
\]
\[
1.8 \text{ miles} = 1.8 \times 5280 = 9504 \text{ feet}
\]
  
- The depth is given in **inches**, but we'll convert it to **feet** since the volume will be in cubic feet.
  \[
3.3 \text{ inches} = \frac{3.3}{12} = 0.275 \text{ feet}
\]

### Step 2: Calculate the total volume in cubic feet
The formula for the volume of the roadbed is:
\[
\text{Volume} = \text{Length} \times \text{Width} \times \text{Depth}
\]
Substitute the values:
\[
\text{Volume} = 9504 \times 34 \times 0.275 = 88801.92 \text{ cubic feet}
\]

### Step 3: Convert the volume to cubic yards
Since 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet, we divide by 27:
\[
\text{Volume in cubic yards} = \frac{88801.92}{27} = 3281.55 \text{ cubic yards}
\]

### Step 4: Calculate the number of truckloads
Each truckload contains 7.4 cubic yards of gravel, so we divide the total volume by the truckload capacity:
\[
\text{Number of truckloads} = \frac{3281.55}{7.4} \approx 443.46
\]
Since we can't have a fraction of a truckload, round up to the nearest whole number:
\[
\text{Number of truckloads} = 444
\]

### Conclusion:
You will need **444 truckloads** of gravel to cover the road.

Would you like further details or explanations?

Here are five related questions:
1. How would the calculation change if the depth of gravel were increased to 4 inches?
2. What would happen if each truck could only carry 6 cubic yards of gravel?
3. How much gravel would be required for a road that is 2.5 miles long?
4. How does the width of the road affect the number of truckloads needed?
5. What if you were paving a circular area instead of a road?

**Tip:** When working with volume, always make sure your units are consistent across all dimensions to avoid errors.

Determine how many truckloads of gravel are needed for a roadbed 1.8 miles long, 34 feet wide, and 3.3 inches deep. This step-by-step guide includes unit conversion and volume calculations, perfect for high school students in Grades 9-12.

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