Six pieces of lumber measure 1" x 8" x 14'. What is the total board footage?

• A. 28
• B. 56
• C. 112
• D. 672

Answer: (B)

Board footage is a volume measure for lumber. One board foot equals a piece that is 1 inch thick, 12 inches wide, and 12 inches long (144 cubic inches). To find total board feet, multiply the thickness, width, and length, then convert the result to board feet by dividing by 12.

For each piece: 1" x 8" x 14" equals 112 cubic inches. Dividing by 12 gives 9 1/3 board feet per piece. With six pieces, 9 1/3 x 6 equals 56 board feet in total.

Common mistake would be to skip converting the length to feet or to forget dividing by 12, which would yield incorrect totals like 112 or 672.