Question

Melanie draws with great fervor, using up pencils at an incredible rate:14 pencils every 4/9 of an hour . How many pencils does she use up in an hour?

Answer 1

14 / (4/9) = x / 1....14 pencils to 4/9 hr = x pencils to 1 hr
cross multiply
(4/9)(x) = (14)(1)
4/9x = 14
x = 14 / (4/9)
x = 14 * 9/4
x = 126/4
x = 31.5 <=== 

Answer 2

$60 + \frac{4}{9} = 26.66 \\ 60 \div 26.66 = 2.255$
so that means if she uses 14 in 4/9 of an hour you multiply the 14 by 2.255
$2.255 \times 14 = 31.57$