A mouse traveled a total distance of StartFraction 3 Over 24 EndFraction of a mile in a maze over the past 3 hours. The mouse tr
aveled the same distance each hour. To determine the distance that the mouse traveled each hour, Matt performed the calculations below. StartFraction 3 Over 24 EndFraction divided by 3 = StartFraction 3 Over (24 divided by 3) EndFraction = StartFraction 3 Over 8 EndFraction He concluded that the mouse traveled StartFraction 3 Over 8 EndFraction of a mile each hour. What is Matt's error?
It is given that, a mouse covered a distance of 3/24 miles over a distance of 3 hours. Each hour, the mouse traveled the same distance. Distance traveled in 1 hour can be calculated by dividing 3/24 miles by 3. So,
Matt calculations shows that the distance is 3/8 hours. While dividing 3/24 by 3, he doesn't take reciprocal of 3 as a result he get 9 on numerator and 24 on denominator. Simplified fraction of 9/24 is 3/8. But the correct answer should be 1/24 hours.