Simon needed exactly 80 m of cloth to make 17 small identical banners and 7 big identical banners. He had some cloth which was just enough to make all the small banners and 3 big banners. He used 131¹₂ cm for each small banner.

1. How much cloth would he need to make 1 big banner?
2. How much cloth was he short of to make the remaining big banners?

(a)
Length of 17 small banners + Length of 7 big banners = 80 m

1 m = 100 cm

Length of cloth for each small banner
= 131¹₂ cm
= 131.5 cm 
= 1.315 m

Length of cloth for 17 small banners
= 17 x 1.315 
= 22.355 m

Length of cloth for 7 big banners
= 80 - 22.355
= 57.645 m

Length of cloth to make 1 big banner
= 57.645 ÷ 7
= 8.235 m

(b)
Number of remaining big banners that Simon needed
= 7 - 3
= 4

Length of cloth that he was short of
= Length of 4 big banners
= 4 x 8.235
= 32.94 m

Answer(s): (a) 8.235 m; (b) 32.94 m