How to write an equation showing a conversion

Question

carpet installer installed all new carpet at a local hotel. He installed 216.34 meters of carpet on each of the first and second floors, 285.88 meters on the thirdand 189.56 meters on the fourth floor. How many kilometers of carpet did the carpet installer install at the hotel? Write an equation to show your conversion

Answer 1

Poor question! Carpet is sold by square yards, or square meters, perhaps.  You only give LINEAR dimensions.

 

Perhaps that's not your fault (depends on exactly how question was written, originally).

 

Perhaps all you have to do is to add those three numbers, and convert to square km??

 

1 sq m = (0.001 km)²

Answer 2

(216.34 + 216.34 + 285.88 + 189.56) / 1000 = km of carpet.

 

Note carpet in the real world is measure in square yards.