Question: Cole wants to fence his backyard on three sides. His backyard is 9 feet along the sides and 18 feet along the back. The neighbor behind him agreed to pay for half of their shared side of his fence, and the neighbor on his left agreed to pay for a third of their shared side. Fencing costs $3 per foot. How much does Cole have to pay for the fence? Think carefully first, then make a decision:
Cole has to pay 3 * 9 = $27 for one side of the side fence. For the shared left fence, he has to pay two - thirds of 27, so he has to pay 27 * 2 / 3 = $18. The shared back fence will cost 3 * 18 = $54. He has to pay for half the back fence, so it will cost 54 / 2 = $27. Thus, Cole has to pay 18 + 27 + 27 = $72 for the fence. So the answer is 72.