Xavier's dining room table was unstable because one leg was shorter than the others. He placed a three-fourths inch thick piece of wood under the short leg, and it became even with the other legs, which are eighteen and seven-eighths inches long. How many inches long was the short leg before Xavier added the wood?

nineteen and five-eighths inches

eighteen and five-eighths inches

eighteen and one-eighth inches

seventeen and one-eighth inches

Question

Xavier's dining room table was unstable because one leg was shorter than the others. He placed a three-fourths inch thick piece of wood under the short leg, and it became even with the other legs, which are eighteen and seven-eighths inches long. How many inches long was the short leg before Xavier added the wood?

 nineteen and five-eighths inches

 eighteen and five-eighths inches

 eighteen and one-eighth inches

 seventeen and one-eighth inches

anonymous · Answer

eighteen and one-eighth inches. 3/4ths of an inch is equal to 6/8ths of a inch. the short leg plus the wood must equal eighteen and 7/8ths. so eighteen and 7/8ths minus 6/8ths of wood equals eighteen and one eighth