A rare whale fossil was uncovered under layers of sediment. When the excavator took measurements, she found the tail to be as long as its head plus a quarter of the length of the body. When the archaeologist came in, he measured the length of the body. He found it to be ¾ of the total length. They made arguments about how such a fish would swim in the water. To make proper predictions they measured the head size, and found it to be 4 inches long. What is the total length of this whale?
Answer:
When the excavator took measurements, she found the tail to be as long as its head plus a quarter of the length of the body. When the archaeologist came in, he measured the length of the body. He found it to be ¾ of the total length. They made arguments about how such a fish would swim in the water. To make proper predictions they measured the head size, and found it to be 4 inches long. What