How to calculate a distance with different fraction ratios?

Question

This is the math question for my sixth grader son. The answer is $136$ meters but could not figure it out. Can someone please explain how to solve it. Thank you. Adam first walks $3/8$th of a road. He then walks $2/8$th and $2/3$rd of the road. Since Adam still has $17$ meters to walk. How long is the total journey? (Answer: $136$m)

Answer 1

$2/3$ is a typo for $2/8$. Therefore he has walked $7/8$ of the road. So, $1/8$ of the road remains, which we are told is $17 meters$. If $1/8$ of a road is 17 meters, then the road is $136$ m.

Answer 2

The problem you are having is in the way the question is worded.

In addition I think you meant 2/5 when you wrote 2/8.

What I think is meant is that at first he walks 3/8 of the road...straight forward.

Then he walks 1/4 of the remaining distance (not 1/4 of the total).

And finally he walks 2/3 of the remaining distance and still has 17 meters to walk.

Draw yourself a picture.

When he walks 2/3 of the remaining distance he leaves 1/3 to walk so at the point where he begins to walk 2/3 of the remainder, he had 51 meters to go.

After he walked 2/5 of the remainder, he left 3/5 which was 51 meters.i.e he walked 17 meters. Therefore, he walked 34 meters on his second "leg" (no pun intended!).

Since he walked 3/8 the first time, he left 5/8 which is 51+34=85.

Since 1/8 of the total is 17, his total walk was 136.

I hope that helps.