Question

its question #2 my son and I cannot figure out how to do this other than dividing. however, when u divide 59 into 422, are you supposed to break it down a certain way? we just need help figuring out how to show our work and doing the division. please help

Answer 1

Honestly I can see an argument for 7 shelves or for 8 shelves. 

When you do the calculation; $\frac{422}{59}=7.15$ You get 7.15 shelves. Clearly you cannot have .15 of a shelf so the logician in me wants to say you need 8 shelves! 

But if the assignment is aimed estimation skills, (Which is what I assume is being implied by the title of the assignment), then the easier calculation of $\frac{420}{60}=7$ is probably what the teacher was hoping for.

You might have been accidentally been calculating $\frac{59}{422} =.139$. Remember division is NOT communitive! i.e.$1\div2\neq2\div1$.

From the image;
The first step was to see that 59 can not go into 4..resulting in the zero above the 4, multiplying 0 by 59 and subtracting 0 from 4. 

The second step begins by bringing down the 2, seeing that 59 can not go into 42..resulting in the zero above the 2, multiplying 0 by 59 and subtracting 0 from 42.

The third step begins by bringing down the 2, seeing that 59 can go into 422 7 times (I tested this on the right by a short multiplication problem)..resulting in the 7 above the 2, multiplying 7 by 59 and subtracting 413 from 42.

This process continues....

Answer 2

$\frac{422}{59}\approx7.15$
You have to round it up. So it will be 8 shelves.