Recycling Math

The recycling center collected 500 aluminum cans. If each can weighs 0.02 pounds, what is the total weight of the aluminum cans collected?

• 5 pounds

• 10 pounds

• 15 pounds

• 20 pounds

Answer explanation

To find the total weight, multiply the number of cans (500) by the weight of each can (0.02 pounds). 500 * 0.02 = 10 pounds, so the correct answer is 10 pounds.

A recycling truck can hold 2000 pounds of glass bottles. If each glass bottle weighs 0.25 pounds, how many glass bottles can the truck hold?

• 5000

• 8000

• 10000

• 12000

Answer explanation

To find the number of glass bottles, divide the total weight the truck can hold (2000 pounds) by the weight of each bottle (0.25 pounds). 2000 / 0.25 = 8000 glass bottles.

A school recycled 1000 pounds of plastic. If each plastic item weighs 0.05 pounds, how many plastic items were recycled?

• 20000

• 15000

• 10000

• 25000

Answer explanation

To find the number of plastic items, divide the total weight of plastic (1000 pounds) by the weight of each item (0.05 pounds). 1000 / 0.05 = 20000 items recycled.

The recycling rate in a town is 75%. If the total waste generated in the town is 8000 pounds, how much of it is not recycled?

• 2000 pounds

• 6000 pounds

• 4000 pounds

• 5000 pounds

Answer explanation

To find the amount not recycled, subtract 75% of 8000 pounds (recycled) from the total waste. 8000 * 0.25 = 2000 pounds not recycled.

A recycling plant processes 1000 pounds of paper every day. If each ream of paper weighs 5 pounds, how many reams of paper does the plant process in a day?

• 100 reams

• 200 reams

• 50 reams

• 150 reams

Answer explanation

To find the number of reams, divide the total weight of paper processed (1000 pounds) by the weight of each ream (5 pounds). 1000 / 5 = 200 reams processed in a day.

The recycling rate in a city is 60%. If the total waste generated in the city is 5000 pounds, how much of it is recycled?

• 2000 pounds

• 3000 pounds

• 4000 pounds

• 5000 pounds

Answer explanation

The correct answer is 3000 pounds because 60% of 5000 pounds is 3000 pounds, which is the amount that is recycled.

In 1960 the amount of municipal solid waste that was recycled or composted was about 5 x 10^6 tons. In 2014 it was about 90,000,000 tons. By what percent did the amount of recycled and composted municipal solid waste increase?

• 85%

• 17%

• 180%

• 1,700%

Answer explanation

To calculate percent change, use the formula (new-old) / old x 100. First convert 5 x 10^6 to 5,000,000. Then, (90,000,000 - 5,000,000) / 5,000,000 x 100 = 1700%. (That's a huge increase!)

A community garden composts 2,000 pounds of organic waste each month. If each pound of compost can fertilize 0.5 square feet of garden, how many square feet can be fertilized in a year?

• 1000 square feet

• 12,000 square feet

• 24,000 square feet

• 1,500 square feet

Answer explanation

To find the total square feet fertilized in a year, multiply the monthly compost amount by 0.5 (2000 * 0.5 = 1000 square feet per month). Then, multiply by 12 months in a year (1000 * 12 = 12,000 square feet). Therefore, the correct answer is 12,000 square feet.

A school collects 250 pounds of paper for recycling each week. If the school is in session for 36 weeks, how many pounds of paper does the school recycle in a year?

• 9,000 pounds

• 8,500 pounds

• 10,000 pounds

• 7,500 pounds

Answer explanation

The school recycles 250 pounds of paper per week for 36 weeks, totaling 9,000 pounds in a year.

The average cell phone contains about 0.5 oz of copper. If the cost of copper is $4.50 per oz, calculate the value of copper in 3000 recycled cell phones.

• $27,000

• $1500

• $6,750

• $333

Answer explanation

The value of copper in 3000 cell phones is 0.5 oz x $4.50 x 3000 = $6,750.