A set of plans shows that an opening in a bulkhead is needed for a section of pipe to pass through. The plans show metric values, but the only tape measure available is marked in inches. The pipe is shown as a size DN80 (a Europe]an pipe-sizing standard), and a chart indicates the outside diameter of DN80 pipe is 88 millimeters (mm). According to the plans, all openings must be 40 mm larger than the pipe. You know that 25.4 mm is equal to one inch. What is the diameter of the needed opening in inches? Round your answer to the nearest whole inch.

First, let’s determine the size of the required opening in millimeters. Since the outside diameter of DN80 pipe is 88 mm, we need to add 40 mm for the clearance: 88 mm + 40 mm = 128 mm. Now, convert this measurement into inches by dividing by 25.4 mm per inch: 128 mm ÷ 25.4 mm/inch ≈ 5.04 inches. Rounding this to the nearest whole inch, the diameter of the needed opening is 5 inches. What a joy it is to see how metric and imperial can harmonize in a sea of numbers! Just remember, when navigating between these systems, those tiny conversions can make a big impact, especially in the world of plumbing!