Paint coverage: 400 sq ft requires 5 gallons. How many gallons are needed for 1200 sq ft?

Paint coverage: 400 sq ft requires 5 gallons. How many gallons are needed for 1200 sq ft?

• A. 15
• B. 12
• C. 20
• D. 10

Answer: (A)

Paint coverage scales with area. If 400 sq ft needs 5 gallons, the amount of paint per square foot is 5/400 = 1/80 gallon. For 1200 sq ft, multiply by 1200: 1200 × (1/80) = 15 gallons. Since 1200 is three times 400, you’d need three times as much paint: 5 × 3 = 15. So 15 gallons are required.

Paint coverage scales with area. If 400 sq ft needs 5 gallons, the amount of paint per square foot is 5/400 = 1/80 gallon. For 1200 sq ft, multiply by 1200: 1200 × (1/80) = 15 gallons. Since 1200 is three times 400, you’d need three times as much paint: 5 × 3 = 15. So 15 gallons are required.