Shawn is starting a woodworking project for which he needs a large number of 2x4s. he plans to buy 2x4s that are 6 feet in length and cut them into the following sizes:
eight pieces that are 12.5 inches long
six pieces that are 8.75 inches long
nine pieces that are 6.25 inches long
note: a 2x4 ("two by four") is a rectangular piece of wood that is two inches high and four inches wide, as shown in the picture. it can have varying lengths. the 2x4s that shawn is buying have a length of 6 feet, or 72 inches.
find the most efficient way for shawn to cut these pieces. in other words, what is the fewest number of boards he can cut from?
what is the smallest number of 2x4s that shawn needs to buy in order to cut all of the pieces his project requires?