For a patio slab measuring 15' x 23' and 5" thick, how many cubic yards of concrete are needed?

To determine the volume of concrete needed for the patio slab, it's essential to calculate the volume in cubic feet first and then convert it to cubic yards.

The dimensions of the slab are given as 15 feet in length, 23 feet in width, and a thickness of 5 inches. To perform the calculations accurately, convert the thickness from inches to feet. There are 12 inches in a foot, so 5 inches is equivalent to (5 / 12) feet, which equals approximately 0.4167 feet.

Now, the volume in cubic feet can be calculated by multiplying the length, width, and thickness together:

[

\text{Volume (cu ft)} = \text{Length (ft)} \times \text{Width (ft)} \times \text{Thickness (ft)}

]

Substituting in the values:

[

\text{Volume (cu ft)} = 15 , \text{ft} \times 23 , \text{ft} \times 0.4167 , \text{ft}

]

Now, calculating this yields:

[

\text{Volume (cu ft)} = 15 \times 23 \times 0.4167