Grade level: 5th
Skills: Percentage, multiplication & division
Related environmental issues: Water
Area level: household
Many households waste water because of leaks such as dripping faucets and leaking water heaters. On overage, a household in the United States loses about 13% of water because of leaks.
- Inside the house, the average American family of four uses 300 gallons* of water per day. How much water is lost per day because of leaks?
- How many water is lost per week because of leaks?
- A toilet uses about 3 gallons of water in every flush. The amount of leaks in a week is equivalent to how many times of flush?
Source: US Environmental Protection Agency
*The average American family uses 280 gallons of water indoors but the number was modified to fit the grade level.
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Answer keys
- 39 gallons (300 x 0.13)
- 273 gallons (39 x 7)
- 91 times (273/3)