David's father is in charge of decorating the 2-layer cake for Great Grampa's birthday. Great Grampa's birthday is on the Fourth of July, he used to be a pilot, and he loves fishing. David and his father have decided to decorate the sides of the bottom layer of the cake (measuring 9 in. * 15 in.) with fish and the sides of the top layer (6 in. * 9 in.) with airplanes. They are going to wrap a flag around each corner of both layers. Each decoration is 1 inch wide, and each flag is folded so that one-half inch of flag shows at each side of the corner.

Show one corner of one layer with the Polish flag in place, with 1/2 of the flag visible on each side.

"We need 2 inches between all decorations," says David's father. "Otherwise it will look too crowded."

How many decorations of each kind do David and his father need?

Holy cow!!! Hmm give me a minute I'll get this

Top layer 9 inches in fish...1 inch decorations with 2 inches separation...flag on each corner...flag 1 inch...space 2 inches..fish space fish space flag....so 2 fish & 2 flags on each side...am I right so far...that means top cake of fish uses 8 fish and 8 flags

Hold on that's wrong I think

One side is only 6 inches so it will go flag fish flag....so top layer will use 8 flags all together and 6 fish I think Wheww still working on bottom layer

Sh*t replace fish with airplanes in above post lol...now I'm confusing myself

Ok I'm gonna get this if it kills me...15 inch cake requires 2 flags and 4 fish on each side, 9 inch side takes 2 flags and 2 fish on each side...total of 4 flags and 12 fish. Top layer takes 2 flags and 2 planes on 9 inch sides and 1 flags with 1 plane on 6 inch sides...all together 4 flags and 6 planes...soo. I think its 8 flags, 12 fish and 6 planes

Answer
David and his father need 8 flags, 12 fish, and 6 airplanes.

David and his father will place 12 fish decorations along the bottom layer of the cake.

Each of the longer sides of the bottom layer measures 15 in. Allowing 1/2 in. at each end for the flags and 2 in. between all the 1 in. decorations, they can place 4 fish along each 15 in. side like this:

(flag) (fish) (fish) (fish) (fish) (flag)
1/2 in. +2 in. +1 in. +2 in. +1 in. +2 in. + 1 in. +2 in. +1 in. +2 in. + 1/2 in. = 15 in.

Each of the shorter sides of the bottom layer measures 9 in. They can place 2 fish along this short side:

(flag) (fish) (fish) (flag)
1/2 in. +2 in. +1 in. +2 in. +1 in. +2 in. + 1/2 in. = 9 in.

Altogether, they can fit 12 fish [Warning: Posting of Contact Info is not allowed. Please follow the rules.] = 12) along the bottom layer.

The longer side of the top layer is the same length as the shorter side of the bottom layer. David and his father can fit 4 (2 + 2) airplanes on the longer sides of the top layer.

On each 6-in. side of the top layer they can fit just 1 airplane, like this:

(flag) (plane) (flag)
1/2 in. + 2 in. + 1 in. + 2 in. + 1/2 in. = 6 in.

Altogether, they can fit 6 airplanes [Warning: Posting of Contact Info is not allowed. Please follow the rules.] = 6) on the top layer.

So after all that bs I got the final number right...right? 8 flags 12 fish and 6 planes? U should see my scrap paper...its full of #'s crossed out..highlighted and everything lol

@Briteeyes: lol,