Context: An athlete swam $6{,}336$ yards, and the conversion given is $1$ mile $= 1{,}760$ yards. The task is that distance expressed in miles.

Answer: D) $3.6$

Why? Converting from a smaller unit to a larger one means dividing by the conversion factor: $6{,}336 \div 1{,}760 = 3.6$ miles. A check confirms the size: $3$ miles is $5{,}280$ yards, and the remaining $1{,}056$ yards is $0.6$ of a mile.

Traps:

• A) $4{,}576$ subtracts $1{,}760$ from $6{,}336$, which converts nothing and leaves a figure still counted in yards.
• B) $8{,}096$ adds the two numbers, again treating a conversion factor as a quantity to combine.
• C) $0.3$ divides in the wrong direction, $1{,}760 \div 6{,}336$, which reports what fraction of the swim a single mile covers.