DAY 24

Comment

A formal approach would be to calculate 5/8 divided by 1/4.
However, the item can be solved perfectly well in a practical way (though the answer might seem slightly strange), by counting off the number of quarters from the ruler.

Answer

Two and a half (quarters of an inch).

Readers' methods

Sasha C, of Preston PR3:
4 eighths is 2 quarters.
1 eighth is half of a quarter.
This makes 2 and a half quarters altogether.

Adrian T, Loughborough LE11:
5/8 = 2.5 x 2/8 = 2.5 x 1/4.
ie 5/8 of an inch = two and a half 1/4 of an inch.